


Chances Are.

by pararanch



Series: Chances Are [1]
Category: Thai Actor RPF, เกลียดนักมาเป็นที่รักกันซะดีๆ | TharnType: The Series (TV), เกลียดนักมาเป็นที่รักกันซะดีๆ | TharnType: The Series (TV) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Politics, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Tragedy, Arranged Marriage, Comedy, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Family Drama, Love/Hate, M/M, Modern Royalty, Politics, Romance, Slice of Life, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 35,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26288659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pararanch/pseuds/pararanch
Summary: Princess Hours! AU where the activist and leader party Mew Suppasit is the appointed Crown Prince after the nation's coup d’état happened. Little did he know, his grand father, King Rama IX apparently left a last will before his death— that his grand child, the next Crown Prince after his son, should be married when he reached marriage age — with the person that he chose, the grand children of the commoner best friend that he made when he was ordained as monk, the grand children to Traipipattanapong family.
Relationships: Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat/Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong
Series: Chances Are [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951645
Comments: 59
Kudos: 192





	1. After the coup.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Although this story was inspired by true events, it is not — by all means — reflected the current condition of Monarch and Government in Thailand. The similar name and places that was being used in this story is also never reflected the current condition of the nation, only used as an overview for fictional story. Thank you for understanding if there are any mistakes on place's name, the monarch system, as well as the grammar mistakes and such. 🙏

“Khun Mew, the breakfast is served.”

He heard what the family servant were saying. In fact, he’s been woken up for a while. He just so freaking tired because it’s been a while since slept at his own room. He spent his night either at Move Forward Party Headquarters or at his friends’ house for the past few months because he promised himself not to use his family privileges until all of the demands and subsequent protests were reached with the present monarch and government.

Being the close relative to the monarch yet also an activist and party leader of the dissolution pro-democracy party put him and his family through a lot of things. Until to the point where the previous King erased them from the family line, revoked his father’s Prime Minister status, and dissolve the party that he built on his own to represent the youth’s voice. Mew was lucky enough that his father, mother, and sister were also have the same principal with him when it comes to political beliefs. Or else, he might be the only one who was removed from the Monarch family line because his father is literally the youngest brother of the previous King.

The thing that he never expected, was the fact that now the table had turned and now the previous King, the whole previous constitutional monarch were get arrested, together with the corrupted government members, and during the second coup d’état of the decade, the protesters demanding that his family should replaced the previous monarch, making him, _believe it or not_ , now the future Crown Prince of the nation’s monarch.

Their entire family were still surprised with the current condition, though, especially his father. They haven’t moved to the Dusit Palace where the royal family usually reside at — _well, it’s been years since they were practically kicked out from the royal residence and it left bad memories for him personally, so he’d rather live at their current family house instead, but, well_ — life happened. The protest leaders, his party members, and the legislative that supported them will be waiting for their appearance to immediately making decisions for the reformed monarch and the entire government's Cabinet reshuffle at the Grand Palace.

Life happened, indeed. The auburn haired 29-years future Crown Prince blinked, still trying to absorb to the new reality, staring at the big window in his room that he would probably see for the last time because they will be moving as soon as possible from the house that he’s been living for more than a decade.

“Son, how are you feeling?” His father patted him on the back when they arrived at the Grand Palace.

“Overwhelmed beyond believe,” He tightened the silk tie that we wore with crisp white shirt that was one of his favorites.

“You felt the whole burden on your shoulder, aren’t you, son?” His mom sighed patiently and fixed his oldest child’s hair. “It will be okay, we already passed through a lot in the past, and we definitely could passed through the present and future, albeit it won’t be easy.”

“Su su na kha, Phi, Papa,” His sister smiled sadly at him and his dad. “This month would probably the last time I called you by ‘Papa’ and ‘Phi’, let me took the last time of our commoners’ side.” She said as he hugged Chopper to her chest as they walking to the Phra Thinang Suthaisawan Prasat, the hall where the meeting would be held. Mew stared at his younger sister’s dropped shoulder. He only sighed dejectedly upon the thoughts of having to addressing their parents by their royal positions — _'Your highness, Crowned King, Queen Mother, and having to call his sister 'Princess'._

As they passed through the Deva Phitak and Sakdi Chaisit Gates on the eastern wall, Mew pondered silently. Normal people would probably think that being a Royal Family is such a dream. However, to them, being a cousin family to the previous monarch since the day of their birth, and had to faced all of messed up and entire drama after their erasure from the family line, stepping back through the Palace left a bitter taste in their mouth. Not to mention, the expectation that the public have at them. Given the multiple coup d’état within the past 6 years, it shouldn’t come to a surprised that they will be taken down from the throne immediately should they never deliver their expectation.

The whole meeting attendee Wai them once they arrived at the hall. Tul Pakorn the Vice President to Move Forward Party greeted them and give him the detailed reports on the coup d’état that they made at each district last night, particularly the demand that they will charged from the arrested monarch and the corrupted government.

“Sir Jongcheveevat,” He Wai to his dad and him, “Phi, we definitely should set the Coronation ceremony date today, so we could prepare anything else later. And you will be needed to make public announcement with the newly appointed Prime Minister regarding our nation’s current situation since the public need reassurance that the Kingdom and government were handled securely right after the coup d’état.”

“Right,” The future Crown Prince nodded and asked his father, the future King of the Nation to start the meeting. After a tense discussion, they decided on what to do with the current government, especially the whole ministry and legislative, with the arrested monarch, and they decided that they would have the Coronation Ceremony of the new monarch 30 days from now.

“Speaking of which, Phi, earlier I found the letter from your Grandfather, King Rama IX,” Tul suddenly told him, once Mew asked if they still have another thing to be asked before the meeting ends because they needed to move fast. The Leader Party only frowned and asked him to continue. “You would probably haven’t heard before, but King Rama IX apparently left a last will before his death — that his grand child, the next Crown Prince after his son, should be married when he reached marriage age — with the person that he chose, the grand children of the commoner best friend that he made when he was ordained as monk.“

_“What????!??!”_

***

“See, mom? It’s not pointless that I went to the protest day and night, right? Our nation finally reformed,” The slightly tanned boy said proudly as he reached for the TV remote to increase the volume when their newly appointed Prime Minister and future King give their public announcement.

“Do you know how lucky you are?! That neighbour kid literally nearly get arrested, Gulf Kanawut! Do you like to see me have a heart attack?!” The skinny lady snapped his son’s hand when he wanted to reach for another chips again. “Stop eating your snacks! We will be having dinner soon!”

The boy grumbled silently at his mother, and then the future King announcing that they will be having the Coronation 30 days from now. “Oooohhhhh, I wonder where I should stand at the Coronation day so I could take a good look!”

“Just watch at the TV, nong, why you really like to stand under the sun when it’s really hot out there.” His sister said nonchalantly as she typed something on her phone, probably massaging her fiancée or something. "It's freaking 40 degrees celcius in the summer."

“You won’t know when will we see another Coronation ceremony with our own eyes, Phi!” He rolled his eyes at his sister before he heard the bells rings.

“Grace, open the door!” His mom shouted to her first daughter.

“Nong! Open the door! I have to take a call right now!” She talked to her phone while walking out from the living room.

The youngest son only slowly grumbled at his sister before he opened the door, and said, “Who the hell come at his hour, at the new government’s public announcement, nonetheless...” And he frowned when he saw that there are several people with black suits and walkie talkie outside his house gate.

 _Would I get arrested?!?!?!_ He low-key panicked before he finally brave enough to talk with the seemingly intimidating people that he guessed as police or something.

“We are here from the Royal Palace.” One of them speak after he Wai him.

“Huh?” Gulf get confused even more and awkwardly Wai him back.

“Can we talk inside? We have important matters to be talked about.”

Gulf just nodded confusedly before he let them inside his house. As much as their daily chaotic life happened, seeing strangers with uniform suit coming into inside their house unannounced, they stopped all of their activities immediately and moved to sit properly with the guests at their living room, with their television was still on, showing the clip of last night’s coups and profile of the President of the Move Forward Party being explained, since he’s one of the most well known activist from the coup, not to mention the future Crown Prince of the nation.

“Please excuse us again. We are very sorry to disturb your family and come unannounced, however, we were being asked by the future Crowned Family to come here...” One of the lady from the Royal Palace talked, and being cutted by the mother of the household.

 _“Were my son making an issue from the protest? Do you guys will take them?”_ She said in panic, hugging Gulf’s left arm tightly. “Please, forgive him, don’t arrest my son... we will do anything that would be needed if you promise not to take my son...” She said worriedly. Gulf never heard his Mom being this helpless before. He hugged her back in assurance.

“...Actually, Ma’am, no, we won’t arrest him.”

“We are forever grateful that you won’t take our son, but can we ask, what actually the Royal Family staff needed to talk to our family? Is there any urgency matter? I mean— we’re just commoners, so we couldn’t help but think that we violated some rules unconsciously and somehow needed to get arrested or something,” His father finally asked all of their curiosity ever since these people stepped inside their house.

The lady that talked earlier coughed lightly, “Okay, so... Upon the discussion regarding the future Royal Family Coronation earlier... We found out that His Majesty King Rama IX apparently left a last will before his death...”

Gulf’s dad eyes grew even more confused, like he want to asked, ‘Okay, so? How would it really matter to us?’

“Apparently on his last will, he told that next Crown Prince should be married when he reached marriage age, with the person that he chose, the grand children of the commoner best friend that he made when he was ordained as monk.” The lady continue patiently while the entire family of the household’s frowned went even deeper.

“And apparently the best friend of His Majesty King Rama IX was Khun Apiwat Traipipattanapong, the grand father of this family.”

The entire room went silent for the next 5 minutes, as if they were waiting for someone to tell them that it’s actually a prank show.

“...It’s not a prank? You guys are like, _seriously_ serious?” Grace finally talk. “ _Mom—_ do I need to break my engagement or what...? We already paid everything for the wedding in advance....” She sounded like she was going to cry.

Her mom just stay stunned. Like, she was coping hard to absorb all of the information.

“Actually, it could’ve been any grand child. It doesn’t have to be Khun Grace because the Royal Family wouldn’t ask an engaged person that soon to married to break up.”

“But, we only have 2 children?”

“Right, the Crown Prince is a guy, right? It wouldn’t make sense because we only have an engaged daughter and a son,”

“Actually regarding the LGBTQ+ marriage, it will be one of the demands from the protesters that would be approved immediately by the legislative, so it doesn’t really matter if Khun Gulf is the one that would be marrying the Crown Prince.”

“But, I’m a guy????” Gulf was panicking. “And I have a girlfriend????”

“Do we really, _like really_ , had to approve this? Do we don’t have a choice? _I’m sorry but_ —“ Mama Traipipattanapong started to get dizzy with the whole thing.

“Actually, His Highness King Rama IX said in the letter that he was really indebted with Khun Apiwat Traipipattanapong. He used to save our King’s life in his ordained days... Therefore he really wanted repay him by having this family as his in-law...”

Gulf’s father blow his breath rather lowly before he asked, “Could we think it over? Like... In a week? It’s such an overwhelming information for us... and given my father was long gone and never told us any of this... We really need to talk it over before we make a decision.”

All of the Royal Family staff looked at each other unsurely before finally the lady that talked earlier nodded and said, “Sure, Sir, it was such an honor for us to talk with your family member. We will be here again next week for your final decision... Once again we are terribly sorry that we had to disturbed your family at this time around.” All of them Wai the entire family before they went out of the house politely.

“What was that again?” Grace held her head before he leaning down her head to her Mom’s lap.

“Okay, let me summarize the whole thing for once.” Mild bite his stick ice cream before continue to speak, “So— your grand father and King Rama IX arranged your marriage and our future Crown Prince?!”

Gulf nodded as he finished his chocolate ice cream and throwing his ice cream stick on the nearest trash can, “I loved my grandpa so dearly but how could he making such a decision when he haven’t even get married with my grandma?!”

His girlfriend of 2 years tried to comprehend all of the sudden information, “So... we’re really needed to break up?”

“No, Poom!! I haven’t even agreed with the whole thing.” He grumbled lowly.

“But, what if the Royal Family arrest me if we’re refusing to breaking up?! I don’t want to get arrested, Ai’Gulf.”

“No, I will reject this marriage. He could’ve find someone else, instead.” Gulf eyes practically burning to end the whole thing.

“Ai’Gulf, you do realized that everyone wanted to be at your place, right? Practically everyone in our country wanted to be a part of the Royal Family, being a Crown Prince’s Prince or Princess, nonetheless.” Mild said as he started to imagining his own friend at the castle. _Uh, no, he really couldn’t imagining it. Not in million years._

“Describe _‘everyone’_ , since I’m definitely not one of them,” Gulf’s thick eyebrows started to frowned deeply when he saw his friend.

“Say, Poom, if you were at Gulf’s place right now, won’t you left him immediately and go to the Palace, instead?”

Poom’s big eyes just moving back and forth, from her boyfriend to Mild unsurely before she gave up and said, “I’m sorry, Gulf, I think I need to re-think everything first.”

Gulf and Mild just silently watching her walking into the campus building before he finally snapped and punching the railing, hard. So hard that Mild was low key worried that he will break the school’s facilities. _“Calm down, calm down, Ai’Gulf.”_

“How can I be calm down right now?!” He kicked the railing.

“Okay. What did your parents were saying?” He started to move the conversation before the professor or the campus security caught them for breaking the railing.

“My mom freaking called Poom earlier, asking her to break up with me literally the first thing in the morning.”

“So, they want you to marry the Crown Prince...” Mild tried to digest the information slowly.

_“I don’t know?!?!?! I wish I could’ve stop everything already???!?!”_

“Listen, Ai’Gulf— have you ask the Palace if you could decline the whole thing?”

“Yesterday we already asked, and they said that they will give us a week to think, since the former King really indebted with my grandpa or something.”

“Have you asked the future Crown Prince himself?”

_“How— I haven’t got a chance to meet him— and I wish that I wouldn’t have to?!?”_

“I mean at this point both you and him were surprised by the whole thing. You do know that his family practically kicked out from the Palace since he was a child, right? Therefore, probably he also have no idea about this. Especially that he’s only cousin to the previous Royal Family.” When Mild see his best friend went more calmer and put his attention to him, he continue, “Also— he has progressive thoughts regarding our political condition, right? I’m sure that he probably didn’t want to be involved with arranged marriage as well. You definitely should talk to him.”

For once, Gulf realized that he actually had hope to back away from this problem. He silently nodded at his best friend’s words and think if they will let him meet the future Crown Prince to discuss and cancel the whole arranged marriage.

After he called the lady from the Royal Palace staff members that left her number at his family a couple of days ago, they let him to meet the future Crown Prince on his only free time during the weekday, after he had meeting with the legislative members in town. She said Gulf probably only have 2 hours max to talk to him since apparently he’s still busy with the government system transfer.

He waited patiently at the corridor near Functional Hall where the lady asked him to wait. He put his most proper shirt and pants that he could found at his closet because he really don’t know what to wear to meet one of the highest position that govern his country. Well, of course he already knew a lot about the Crown Prince before, given that Gulf himself supported involved in the protest that the future Crown Prince lead. In fact, should he never suddenly got trapped at this situation, he would still had him as one of the person that he admire since his political views and his brain is out of this world, not everyone is brave enough to lead a coup against the government, right? Which makes him remember what Mild said to him. _He would understand right? They will achieve mutual agreement to cancel the whole arranged marriage, right?_

Suddenly the lady asked Gulf to move to a small meeting room not long after a lot of people suddenly passed through the corridor. Gulf followed her obediently and wait nervously, inspecting the white walls and the sleek table, as if trying to find dust just to passed through the time.

Someone suddenly knocked and the faces of people that usually he only see through screen coming through. Along with the future Crown Prince, Mew Suppasit, the handsome Vice President of the Party, Tul Pakorn also followed closely behind him.

When Gulf wanted to Wai them awkwardly, suddenly he offered to shake his hand, “Nice to meet you, you must be Khun Gulf Kanawut.”

“Nice to meet you, Khun Gulf, I’m Tul Pakorn,” He shook Gulf’s hand as well. “Sorry if we’re in hurry — but actually we’re really need to go to the airport in the next 45 minutes. So... I hope both of you could finish the talk within that time.” He nodded before he left the room.

“Okay so, please take a seat Khun Gulf,” The stoic face of the future Crown Prince intimidated him, making him awkwardly took his previous seat. “So, the staff members of the Palace said that you asked me to talk about the arranged marriage.”

 _“Yes, Khun— Sir— Your majesty—?,”_ Gulf confused on what to address him.

“Khun Mew is fine. Or Phi, I don’t really mind, because I haven’t get Coronated yet.”

“Uhm, okay, _Phi—_ ,” The tall boy talked unsurely since it was seems way too casual to the respected person like the future Crown Prince. “So, I was thinking— could I backed off from the arranged marriage?”

The stoic face of the older guy went even harder. “Okay, so, you’re basically saying that you declined the Palace’s proposal.”

Gulf nodded hesitantly, playing with his sweated fingers underneath the table.

 _“Listen—,”_ Mew pushed his fingers to his temple, briefly closing his eyes before he continue, “I myself— never consider to marrying anyone in the future, since I think the appearance of partner will only hold my career.”

Gulf’s eyes shone brightly when he heard this, and he wanted to shouted, _‘I knew you would understand, Phi!’_ However, before he had the chance to shout, the older one continue, “ _But—_ this is the only wish that my beloved late Grandfather asked for me. He might be never specifically asked me to do this, he maybe expecting my cousin to do this or something — but now that I’m faced with this throne in less than a month, apparently I am the one that should granted his wish.” He then looked into Gulf’s eyes deeply and continue, “I might have my own share of disappointment at him because he’s the one who kicked out my family, but I know for sure that I also disappointed him a lot in the past, and I regretted that I’ve never had the chance to send my apology to him directly before he was gone forever after I did several things against his will before.”

The room went even colder before he said, “And by doing _this_ — _his last wish_ — is the form of my unsaid apology to him. I might be never an exemplary grand child upon his eyes, but he’s still one of the most respected person in my eyes. And I wish that I could be a better grand child by doing his last will. I hope you could understand that.”

Gulf was keep staying silent, waiting for the future Crown Prince to continue since he basically never give the room to discuss.

“I know it sounded way to formal the whole ‘marriage’ but maybe you haven’t familiar with the concept of marriage in the Palace, the Crowned King, Queen, Crown Prince, Crown Princess, Princes, and Princesses would be living in different place. They will be living in each of their respected Palace. They will be needed to sleep in the same place probably just in time when the Palace expecting a grand child. However, since we are both man, they won’t be expecting anything for us, so it’s basically just a political marriage for both of us. Your appearance will be needed only for the public affairs.” He leaned back to his seat intimidatingly, “ _That_ — if you agree.”

Gulf gulped down, he was indeed, get intimidated with the future Crown Prince.

“Can I hear the reason why you want to decline the arrange marriage?” He rested his chin on top of his knotted fingers, face still stoic, didn’t showed another expression. “Do you have a girlfriend or something?”

The younger one slowly nodded, he tried to move his gaze from the intimidating man, but he literally didn’t have a chance as he kept hold his gaze, and smirked.

“I see — you do know that the King and Princes are allowed to have consorts and minor wives, right? I practically don’t care on what are you doing with your personal life. Just don’t tarnish the reputation of our monarch. We literally have a lot of eyes watching upon our every moves — _the whole expectation, the hope that the public had on us to reformed our country_ — therefore I just hope that you will know your place and calculate carefully on every decision that you take.”

The breeze of the air-con inside the meeting room practically breeze through Gulf’s nape. He just seated restlessly when the other person stood up and asked him one last time, “Do you need to ask me anything else?” Which Gulf just reply by shaking his head quickly.

“Thank you for taking your time to have a proper talk with me today, I hope we will be meeting each other again soon to prepare for the Coronation. Nice to meet you, Khun Gulf, “ The older one nodded quickly at him before he went out the meeting room coldly.

Gulf finally released the shaky breath that he held for a few minutes without even realizing it.

_What the hell did I get myself into?_

****

“What the kid was talking about, P’Mew?” Tul asked him curiously as they move quickly to the Function Hall’s entrance gate. They were expected in Chiang Mai within the next 2 hours, so they need to move really fast to catch the flight. They immediately went inside their reserved car, and Mew had to close the blind between them and the driver, so he wouldn’t hear what they are talking about.

“As expected, refusing to the idea of arrange marriage.” Mew rolled his eyes as he removes his prescribed eyeglass and leaned back to his seat. They got 15 minutes to the airport should the traffic wasn’t bad.

Tul just chuckled, “Wow, he had the nerve to talk against the Palace, huh.”

“You do know that I had no interest in relationship, let alone marriage, right? I see it as nothing but a burden for my future,” He stretched his neck slowly, so it would released his tiredness slightly. “Therefore, really, since as a Crown Prince I will be expected to get married, anyway, and in the name of my grand father, I only see that this condition is perfectly fitting.”

“Right, also, given that he’s from a common family, the public will have different light upon us, that they actually have hope that a commoners could ended up be a part of monarch, that the coup and the reformation is _indeed_ , really happening.“ The handsome Vice President of the Party nodded surely.

“Of course it’s happening, what are you talking about? That was the whole reason why we had a coup.” Mew rolled his eyes at his long time friend. “I just wish that I could achieve all of the people’s expectation. Especially my own expectation of what I hope to be changed in this country when I lead those protest for months— or is it practically years? We literally started to campaign with our dissolved party 2 years ago.”

“Of course, you have to deliver the public’s expectation, Phi. You wouldn’t want to get couped in the future right?” Tul said jokingly.

“As a person who get kicked out from the Palace, I really wanted to change the whole Monarch system from the start. It won’t be easy. And it will definitely be controversial, especially with the rest Royal Family that still staying at the Palace. However, this is my only chance, and it will definitely be a blood bath in the Palace. Either we would have the exact reformation that we’ve been wishing for, or else, I would get kicked out again from the palace. Especially when we knew that there are a lot of right wingers inside the Palace.”

“It will be hard isn’t it, Phi?”

“Definitely hard. Much harder than our months of protest and coup.” He stared into the cloudy sky emptily.

Apparently, it was only the start of the whole thing that they were fighting for.


	2. The First Public Appearance

_“So you are asking me to be your freaking consort?”_ Poompui snorted when she heard what her boyfriend said earlier. “Who do you think you are, Gulf Kanawut?! Have you actually think about my future if I only ended up as your freaking consort?!?! _My dream— my future—_ ,” The pretty girl tried to calm herself down after she shouted at her boyfriend antics, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Do you remember that I already got a few offer from agencies to be their talent? _I could be a freaking star, Ai’Gulf— A model, an actress, an idol— AND YOU ACTUALLY THINK THAT I WOULD PREFER TO BE YOUR FREAKING CONSORT?!_ ”

Mild only gulped silently when he see the usually lovely girl snapped at her boyfriend.

“DO YOU REALIZED HOW LOW THAT IS?! _You’re basically asking me to be your freaking mistress, Ai’Gulf._ ” She threw her bag at Gulf’s face. Which making the other boy get even angrier, and snapped back sharply. “Do you actually think that you would be instantly successful as celebrity, Ai’Poom?! Think again. The Palace could give you a lot of facilities — you will be given a lot of privileges, your future is rainbow and sunshine already if you decided to follow me to the Palace.”

_Slap!_

The sound of the small girl slapping her boyfriend was so loud in the middle of empty campus backyard.

“Oh, so you actually think that I’m willing to following you to suffer together with you at the Palace? Living behind your shadow for all my life, and even considered as your mistress by the public?! Do you ever think how people will think about me, Ai’Gulf? How my parents would think?! My friends?! _How dare you asking me to be your consort—_ ,” Then, she threw the flowers and gifts that the Palace sent her a few days ago to Gulf’s face, disgusted with the whole present that were sent to her as if to mocking her, “Here, give it back to the palace, I don’t need it! I don’t want to hear you anymore — we’re better not seeing each other for a while.” She snatched her bag and walking back to the campus hallway, throwing her long hair into her back.

Gulf threw all of the gifts and flowers to the ground angrily and kicked it without any patience, while Mild trying hard to calm his friend down. “Calm down, Ai’Gulf, just— let us wait for Poom to calm down as well in a few days... She must’ve stressed out by the overwhelming information.” He patted the taller guy’s shoulder. “I mean— who wouldn’t want to be a part of Monarch?! Your life basically all set — you don’t have to think about making money, you get all of the access and facilities in the whole country...”

Gulf glared at his friend while he still continue to speak, “You have to ask her in different way, Ai’Gulf— don’t straight up asking her to be your consort... why don’t you ask the Palace to give her some job there, so she won’t be just a mere ‘mistress’ — don’t you ever think about her feelings?”

Gulf threw the throned flowers’ stems from his girlfriends’ flower bouquet to his best friend face, wishing his face would get cut from it, _“Don’t you dare to talk back at me if you don’t understand the exact situation, Ai’Mild.”_

He sit at the nearest bench, pressing his fingers at his temples. “I swear to God— I’m so freaking tired to be pushed by all kind of people with this arrange marriage — first, my family asked me to just go with it to raised our family’s dignity and status. My own Mom told me that I didn’t feel grateful with the rare opportunities that was given to me— that I don’t respect my Grandpa and all of that — AS IF I EVER ASKING FOR IT?!” Gulf kicked the table in front of him until it almost breaks.

“Calm down, Ai’Gulf, you’re basically there for the status, right? It’s just a political marriage, either way. Your mother is true, though, why don’t you just go with it? You won’t lose anything, anyway. You could choose any pretty girls in the castle later, as if Poompui is the only girl in the world.” His friend mumbled nonchalantly.

Gulf glares at his friend, held his hand really hard, trying hard not punching him down, and he punch the nearest railing so hard, until it almost breaks, Mild got goosebumps allover his body.

***

“Prince Tay, it’s been a while. Nice to meet you.” Mew shook his hand with one of his cousin — the one that he knew he could trust the most.

“Future Crown Prince, likewise,” They shook their hand before they took a seat.

It was really been a while since Mew visit Dusit Palace — the place where Royal Family reside at. It might be a little bit empty because a quarter of the Royal Family was arrested at the Coup. What left, though, was the one that never got proven to be involved with the corruption, especially regarding the royal prerogative and lèse majesté law.

And Tay’s family, being his third cousin, was a few people that his family could trust. Well, maybe he couldn’t meet him as often as he used to be ever since his family get kicked out from the Palace. However, Tay was the one that helped them the most at the coup, given that he was the secret informant to Move Forward Party ever since the protest happened. They might be a far cousin, but they both probably the closest cousin in the family. Especially when his dad and Tay’s father is best friend from childhood even though they were tied by blood. In fact — Prince Vihokratana was probably one of the only few people that defended them the night where his Grandpa was having a huge fight with his Father.

And as if it was a destiny, Tay becoming the close friend of Tul Pakorn during university days, and he actually the one who introduced Tul to Mew, and then the two finally decided to built the progressive party that speaks for the youth. Tay always supported them from the start, though he couldn’t make his support publicly, given his position at the Palace. And thus, he becoming the secret informant to the Palace. Though in Mew and Tul’s eyes, Tay basically was also one the leader in the party even if he never being known to the rest of the members of the party except for the two of them.

“So, how are you coping with the Palace’s life after years being gone from this place?” Prince Tay smiled amusingly at his far cousin.

“Overwhelmed — and tired,” Mew chuckled. He rarely put his guard down especially ever since the protest and coup, but Tay was one of a few people where he actually could put his guard down. “Seriously, though, why couldn’t we just shout each other’s name instead of having to put our title everywhere we go?”

“That was why university days were my favorite time, especially when I could attend Columbia with Tul.” He smiled fondly, thinking of his teenage days. “That was a rare experience where I could live as normal people. Well maybe not _normal_ , normal since I was still being followed by security, but you get the idea, right?”

“I know — it was probably the reason why my family strong enough to live in regular society. At least we were not being checked for our attitude 24/7 and we could live like regular people. I get to called my parents by ‘Papa’ and ‘Mama’ for a few years — it was indeed, feels nice.”

“The way I envy you for the simple things that you had.” Tay chuckled amusingly at his third cousin. “But anyway, let’s get into the point. I know that you’re not here for feeling nostalgic and chit-chat around.”

“Are you that busy? Why you kicking me out so suddenly.” The older cousin — though only for a few months — freaking pouted at his cousin.

“Just how old are you, Future Crown Prince.” He laughed lightly seeing his cousin’s antics. “No, actually you’re the one whose really busy. If you have free time, you should get a rest instead of chit-chat around, you know. I already heard that you went to each district and province to check on the government by yourself for the past week. I don’t want my dearest cousin passed out before the day of your Coronation, you see.”

“Well— yeah, I already got my weekly vitamin c shot so I could passed the day through.”

“You know it’s not healthy for you in the long run, if you’re living through shots.”

“You’re my mother or my cousin?” The Future Crown Prince chuckled.

“Okay, back to the square one. What do you want to talk about?” Prince Tay put his serious mode on. He put his chin on top of his knotted fingers, attentively calculating his cousin’s move.

“You do know that there a chance that there are traitors in the family, right? Well— probably in the government’s Cabinet as well, but you do know that traitors and right wingers inside the Palace are way more dangerous.” Mew rapped his fingers towards the low table wood in front of him as he focusing at nothing before he looked up to Tay and put locked his eyes with him. “I really need your help, Tay.” It’s really rare for them to dropped their formalities between them. However, when they do, they do at their most vulnerable state. “I really need your help should there are anyone that secretly planning to do something bad behind my family’s back.”

“You know you can trust me really well, Mew.” He patted his cousin’s shoulder in assurance. “When I ever declined your request?”

“Thank you, thank you so much, dearest cousin; for your endless help.”

“Ah, don’t mention it. We’re family, right?”

“Well, I even get kicked out by my own family.” Which makes Tay flinched and patted his cousin’s shoulder even harder.

“You can trust me and my family, Mew. We even already suspecting a few people — but we haven’t got the proof that they were guilty, yet, I will send you the details once I’m sure enough.” Tay give his cousin a final pat in the shoulder before he crossed his arms. “Take care, okay? You couldn’t fight back if you were sick.”

“Right, thank you so much for helping me as always, Tay.” The oldest one sighed in relieved.

Nevertheless, he barely have the time to rest. Just after meeting his cousin, he had to report to his parents — the future Crowned King and future Queen Mother; regarding the political condition in each district and province. He already visited all 76 provinces and try to have a deal with each respected government to have the same view with the current political condition, the one protesters demanded about.

“We might needed to watching Ratchaburi and Songkhla rather closely because I sensed that the current Provincial Government still a right wingers. Maybe we needed to change the current Governor just to make things safe enough on our part.” The future Crowned Prince reported to both of his parents, and his parents nodded carefully.

“Thank you for your hard work for the past week, future Crowned Prince. Maybe we’re needed to have national inspection every three quarters or so? So that we could judged by our own eyes if they deliver their job perfectly or not. It will be more effective if we inspects it by our own rather than asking other department to checked it since we don’t know if they speak the truth or not regarding their work and if they still have the same vision as us or not.” The young future Crowned Prince nodded when he heard his father speak as he typed specific notes on his laptop.

“Okay, let’s talk about the Coronation now. How long is the progress? I heard you already met with the Traipipattanapong grandchild?” Mew closed his laptop slowly upon hearing the name of his future fiancée.

“Well yeah, we meet briefly last week. He seemed like a obedient child.” Their oldest son shrugged his shoulder.

“Are you sure? You know we have image to put hold, son.” His father’s voice was still unsure by Mew’s statement.

“Your father is right, son, we’ll never know if he will be endangered our family’s position.” The future Queen Mother finally speak out her mind.

“Trust me, it’s okay, Papa, Mama. He will be obedient on my watch. I wouldn’t let him do something that will tarnish our family’s reputation.”

Both of his parents staring at each other, definitely unsure with the whole situation, “Are you sure, son?”

“Well— I consider that this is just a purely political marriage. We could use him for public’s image, so that people actually believe that revolution is actually happening, that regular people actually have the chance to be a part of the Monarch. His appearance definitely could help public to regain trust in Monarch constitutional, Papa.” He nodded in assurance to his parents. They still looked at him skeptically, unsure of what the future might hold. If the appearance of this Traipipattanapong kid would either endangered them nor helped them, they would never know.

His mother just sighed and nodded slowly upon hearing her son’s reasoning, “Well, then, just make sure that he will be here tomorrow for the Coronation preparation meeting. We need to give him a proper manner lesson so that he wouldn’t make a wrong move on the Coronation Day.”

“I will tell the staff to asked him to come tomorrow. Thank you for trusting me, Papa, Mama.” The future Crowned Prince nodded and Wai to his parents before he quits the room.

***

Gulf had never been this nervous for all his live. And it’s only the first meeting with the future Crowned King, future Queen Mother, future Crowned Prince, and the rest of their staffs and assistant to talk about the Coronation. His hands were all sweaty upon his family’s arrival to the Palace. Nervous was way an understatement. The way the air of Palace welcoming him was so intimidating he could barely breath. He tried to runaway earlier before the Car from the Palace picked them up, but of course Khun Mae had her way to tackled his only son and bring him to the Palace with all her might. His sister dared to laughed at him while she already dress prettily to meet the future Crown Prince. _Why don’t you just left your fiancée and marry him instead?_ Gulf grumbled when his mom forced him to wear proper shirts.

Upon walking to the biggest building in Dusit Palace — the house of Crowned King and Queen Mother, he started to get even more nervous. _What did he actually signing up to? And why there is no way out?_ The staff finally asked them to went inside one of the room where the Royal Family that soon to be Coronated, their staff and their assistant already seat at their respected seat in huge room that served as meeting room.

The Traipipattanapong family awkwardly Wai the Royal Family, and they Wai back elegantly. “Nice to meet you, finally, Traipipattanapong family. Please take a seat.” The future Crowned King asked them politely.

“Thank you so much for invitation, future Crowned King.” Gulf’s dad said politely after they took a seat.

“Thank you so much for coming as well.” The future Crowned King smiled. “As the Coronation Day coming even more closer, I think it’s only fitting to meet your family properly before the Coronation Day since there are a lot of things that should be prepared.”

“We also want to say thank you to consider our family as a family-in-law...”

The future Queen Mother’s eyes narrowed down slightly at Gulf’s, making him shivered, before the future Crowned King said, “It’s such an honor for our family personally, to respects His Majesty King Rama IX’s last will. And we’re fortunate enough that it’s a lovely family that would be our in-law.”

The future Crowned Prince just stared at his future husband nonchalantly and continue to speak about something to Tul Pakorn which seated next to him. Gulf tried to take a breath slowly, so that he wouldn’t be stressed out by the whole intimidating environment.

They immediately talking about the Coronation day, the layout map, the whole decoration, costumes, everything that would be needed on the D-Day. And then Gulf was asked to do a daily Royalty Manners training so that he wouldn’t make a wrong move on the Coronation Day. It would be taken place in different building in Dusit Palace, and he needed to attend it after school immediately since he got a lot to learn. There will be a car that will picked him up daily as well to take him for training.

“Also, tomorrow you will be needed to make a first public appearance, Khun Gulf.” The future Queen Mother talked to him for the first time today. “We will be having a Gala Dinner to announce regarding the Coronation as well as your relationship with the future Crowned Prince. Therefore, please come earlier tomorrow so I could teach you personally regarding the proper manners. We have to make sure that tomorrow everything went smoothly.” She stares intimidatingly at Gulf.

Gulf nodded quickly and silently gulped. He really wish that tomorrow would never come.

“Do you actually think that he could do that tomorrow, P’Mew?” Tul asked the future Crowned Prince.

“If he just keep silent and let me do the talk, everything will goes smoothly. The thing that my parents scared the most is the possibility of him blurting out nonsense.” Mew shrugged.

No matter how Gulf refusing tomorrow to come, it comes anyway. It feels like an exam where he wished it wouldn’t come because he never feel that he brave enough to face it. Upon his arrival at the Palace, the staff asked him to follow her to smaller building from yesterday, where it comes in the form of open patio where the future Queen Mother already waited for him in front of a small low table. Following the staff in front of him, he awkwardly bow and crawling on the knees and paying respects to Her Majesty before he take a seat, in which she reply with Wai.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty,” He said nervously.

“Good afternoon, Khun Gulf, now please take a seat.”

“Since we will be having Gala Dinner later, we will taught you proper dining etiquette first. You might be not familiar to formal dining etiquette. Now that you will be facing a lot of important people from now on, I hope you could learn really fast. Tonight is your trial.” She said intimidatingly, she's not even smiling to him.

Gulf just nodded nervously, and the future Queen Mother stand up to inspected him being taught by the etiquette teacher from the Palace. She will snapped his back so he could sit more straightly using a long stick and she will tapped it to his fingers should he moves his hand wrongly.

After 2 hours of etiquette lesson, the staff asked him to move to one of the Palace’s huge closet where he will be helped by the future Crowned Princess to put his formal attire for the Gala Dinner. She choose a simple black and black crisp shirt and tuxedo that she said will help to elongate his figure, classic black leather shoes, and asked the hairstylist and makeup artist to style his hair in comma hairstyle and give him a natural but preppy makeup look. When she was back nearing at 30 minutes before they will be picked up by the Palace car to the place where the event would be held, already dressed prettily, she swept Gulf’s shoulders and tapped it before thanking the stylist for doing a great job. She then asked Gulf to follow her and her staffs and security to wait for the car outside.

“You see, Khun Gulf,” She said suddenly when they were waiting for the car, with her staffs waiting at a distance. “My mother is strict, so very strict. However the reason that she's hard on you is that she’s still being skeptical with you.” She locked her eyes with Gulf’s. “I just hope that you could show her — _show us_ — that you are worthy enough to be here.”

Gulf just staring at her quite sadly, like, _is it really hard to be accepted at a place that you didn’t asked for in the first place?_

“You might think that we’re hard on you.” She’s staring faraway, “However, it’s for your own good. The rest of people, _the rest of royal family, the media, the public_ — they will be more harsher on you.” She exhales by the time where their car arrived. “Come, we will go to the event together, we will meet P’Mew there since he needed to do other work outside the Palace before the event.”

Gulf nodded and enter the car obediently.

The Gala Dinner held at one of the biggest event hall in the city, and it really surprised Gulf that there are a lot of media and photographers waiting just outside the hall. All of them taking picture of the future Crowned Princess Jom Jongcheveevat endlessly, without any idea who the hell was this tall boy that followed her quietly behind.

“They still don’t know who you are, Khun Gulf,” P’Jom whispered at him when they enter the hallway where the media weren’t following them anymore. “It will be totally different should they know that you are my brother’s future partner,” She smirked and immediately searching for her brother once they were arrived at the event hall where all the tables already ready for the guests. There were also a few reporters since they were going to make a few announcements regarding the Coronation later. Jom could see how he’s feeling even more intimidated here, and she just said quietly, “If you don’t know what to talk — just stay silent, it will be the best choice. Let my brother do the talk.” She greeted her brother afterwards and kissed him in the cheek, and she smiled dazzlingly to a few people from government that was having a conversation with his brother and Tul Pakorn earlier.

“It’s been a while, Jom, and _this is...?_ ” They were staring at Gulf rather curiously.

“We will have a few announcement later, as I said earlier,” The future Crowned Prince was smiling at the small crowds in front of him, and suddenly he held the small of Gulf’s back, “Now if you please, we’re needed to greet the other guest.” Tul just chuckled upon seeing his best friends’ antics and he continue to entertained the rest of the guests with Jom.

After he dragged Gulf to the front side of the hall, the future Crowned Prince just quietly folding his arm and inspecting him from head to toe and sighed, “I knew Jom would do a great job with the styling.” He speaks more to himself than to Gulf’s. And then he stared at Gulf uninterestedly. “Just wait at this table. Jom and my mother will join you later. I need to talk to the guests before the event started.” He passed through Gulf afterwards. Leaving Gulf alone with his thoughts.

_Will the event went well?_

_Will he speaks or act wrongly?_

_Why he ended up here in the first place?!_

As the event started, it just went too fast and blurred to Gulf. One moment, the future Crowned King announcing the exact date of the Coronation Day and the layout details, things to be expected from the Public, and one moment everyone suddenly focusing on him once His Majesty announcing that the only stranger at the soon to be coronated Royal Family table will be the future Prince — the future husband of their future Crowned King, the seem-to-be-perfect-to-anyone Mew Suppasit.

A collective of hushes and whispers were definitely expected. _Who is he? Is he the future Crown Prince’s boyfriend from school? Is he smart enough to be standing together with the Mew Suppasit? Is he comes from rich family? Is it possible for commoners to be marrying a Royal Family?_

As the future Crowned King closed the Gala Diner, all of the media suddenly circling around Gulf — the blitz and the snapping sounds of camera lens horrified him. The endless questions just literally makes him wanted to cry. The future Crowned Prince quietly stand up and held his hip and answering questions after questions calmly for him while he didn’t dare to open his mouth even for a second. He stares at his future husband helplessly when they he dragged him outside, still being followed by the media, and went inside the Palace’s limousine that already waiting for them outside the hall building.

They both stayed silent along the rides to Gulf’s house. While the handsome future Crown Prince just staring outside the window quietly, Gulf just playing with his own sweaty hands.

“Your highness, we’re here,” The driver announced to them.

The older one just hummed while Gulf awkwardly get out of the car. Before he close the door he bit his lips before he thanking the other one, which only being replied with another hummed, without even seeing the younger one.

As much as Gulf feeling dejected by the cold attitude of future Crowned Prince yesterday, he didn’t expect that the next morning everything went down even harder. By the time he opened his eyes, he’s been seeing his name, his family, his life as a students, everything about him being went out in the open in every screens, from television to the small screen of his cellphone. He never thought the day where he could read a news regarding himself on his own’s phone would come.

The thing that makes his Khun Mae angry at him the most is the fact that the media also somehow found out that he already have a girlfriend for two years. A series of shouts of _‘WHY ON EARTH YOU HAVEN’T STOPPED SEEING HER, GULF KANAWUT!!!!’_ to _‘HOW WOULD I KNOW THAT THE MEDIA WILL ALSO FOUND OUT ABOUT HER?!’_ were being heard loudly at the household.

He was even more horrified when he was found out that a lot of reporters already waiting for him outside his house, which makes him have to go to the college through a secret back door of his house, while her sister and mother deceive them by going through the front door.

As if it wasn’t enough, the reporters were also following him to the college. Making him have to hide here and there just to attend his class. Also, It shouldn’t be such a surprise that the whole students in the university were talking about him, either asking him on their own or behind his back. Mild just staring at him with pity when they finally could hide from the huge crowds that been following them all day. He literally wanted to throw his phone through the ground when his girlfriend not answering his endless calls from the morning — _not even once_.

“Actually, she texted me earlier, Ai’Gulf. She said that she doesn’t want you to search for her. It’s enough that the whole nation already know about her from the media.” Upon hearing this from Mild, he was literally throwing his phone through the ground, hoping that it would break and no one will disturb him anymore.

***

_“From our trusted resource, Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong — the future partner to His Majesty future Crowned King Mew Suppasit — apparently the grand children to Apiwat Traipipattanapong, a good friend of His Majesty King Rama IX. On his last will apparently His Majesty King Rama IX asked that the next Crowned Prince should be married with the grand children to Traipipattanapong family when they reached marriage age._

_However, from various source, we heard some information that Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong already have a long time girlfriend and there are no information that they already ended their relationship. While their family immediately denied that they were still having relationship, the future husband of the Crowned Prince still haven’t spoke a thing regarding this issue.”_

The huge TV at the president room of Move Forward Party showing the face of Gulf Kanawut, with his slightly tanned skin and messy hair, continue to avoid the media, walking passed through them rather fiercely. Only people with years of experience with public exposure like Mew himself knew that deep inside, this kid was in a bridge of tears because he couldn’t handle the situation on his own.

“You’re really cruel to your future husband, Phi,” Tul chuckled as he sipped his second coffee of the day. “You should be there, instead of here, helping him to quite down the media and all.”

“You know I’m way to busy for that,” Mew replied, staring uninterestedly at the huge TV screen. “He really should practicing to face a huge crowd of media like that. You do know that it’s only a start for him. The media could be even more vicious and cruel than this, with their speculation, gossips, and all,” Mew shrugged, fixing his prescribed glasses. “Especially when he said it by himself that he wanted to keep his girlfriend as a consort. " He takes his cup of coffee and drinking it slowly, "Let’s just watch him from faraway. Let him prove himself with the way he talk and resolve things. Is he worth enough to be a so called Prince?" The handsome future Crown Prince smirked, turning off the television.


	3. The Coronation Ceremony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed a bit of the original Coronation Ceremony so that it would be suitable for the storyline... therefore I hope you would understand why it's a bit different to the real thing. I also realized that most of you were really angry with Mew from the last chapter, lmao 😂😂 I hope that you would have different light on him at this chapter!! ^^/* Let me know what you think in the comment section bellow! ❤️

The future Crown Princess was right. Gulf realized that with media, silence is the best if you didn’t know what to speak about. Now that it’s been more than a week, he already getting used to passing through the reporters as if it was nothing. He also glad that the university decided to put stricter security, so that the student would have a more conducive study environment. He also thinks that perhaps — all of the endless overwhelming events help him to get through his hot headed self slightly. He also tried not to listen too much to what were people were saying.

And now that the Coronation Day is getting nearer and nearer, he received an intensive royal etiquette class every single day after school. The future Queen Mother will only come to specific days where she need to inspected him closely, whereas he usually being taught by several teachers according to the lesson that was happening on each day, but the one that taught him the most, the one that he met the most frequently was this pretty boy, with white skin and gentle gestures, he was even prettier than most girls, Khun Suppapong.

On some days where he would get to eat lunch or dinner in the Palace, where he usually left on his own to eat at a reserved place for the Crown Prince’s partner, sometimes Khun Suppapong would be kind enough to eat together with him, talking about this and that about the Palace.

“You see, Your Highness, if they were seeing that I’m eating lunch with you, I would probably get caught, because we were banned to eat with the royals.” He chuckled and munching his meals happily.

“It’s okay, I love having a companion to eat, anyway.” Gulf quietly eat his lunch.

The other’s shoulder dropped slightly, and his pretty face showing concerned to the future Prince, “You’re still not used to the Palace life, aren’t you, Your Highness?”

Gulf just quietly shaking his head slowly, avoiding the other’s pitiful gaze.

“And it’s literally just the start, Your Highness, soon, you have to live at this Palace almost every single day. And I hate to break it to you — but Palace is such a lonely place.” He sighs dejectedly.

Gulf just smiled sadly, “I know. I already get a glimpse of it.”

“You see, Your Highness, if it will makes you better, I have a story to tell.” The pretty boy whispered to him so suddenly, which only he replied with confused expression. “My family already served for the Palace as long as I remember, well, most staffs and servants here were mostly already here for generations. Therefore I was born and raised here for all my life. And of course I’ve already served the Jongcheveevat family ever since I was a child.”

Gulf just nodded quietly while the royal etiquette teacher continue, “What I’m trying to say is — there’s a reason why they might appeared that cold, Your Highness. They have been through a lot. Us, the royal servants would never judge and took sides on whomever we served, therefore, instead of choosing sides when they were being removed from the royal family, we were feeling really sad. Especially when my family personally served them since I was a child.”

“You already know the reason why they kicked out from the Palace, right? You must have already hear it from the news, Your Highness.”

Gulf nodded, munching his meal quietly, “I might remember about a thing or two about that, but since I was a child back then, I hardly remember about it.”

Khun Suppapong nodded understandingly, “It’s really understandable, Your Highness. Maybe it’s hard for you to recall about that since mostly children aren’t really interested in political issues. I might be banned to talking about this because the news even got the info this detailed, but I guess you really have to understand about it, Your Highness, since you will be a part of the monarch.”

“It was started when the future Crowned King was served as the Prime Minister. At that time, he nearly leaked every data and proofs to the media, the fact that his older brother — the time when the previous King was still a Crown Prince, was misusing and corrupting nation’s funds and tax. He even went dictatorial even when he still _‘just’_ a Crown Prince.”

“Honestly it’s an open secret here in the Palace that the previous King and his brother was never get along. The older one was never a good exemplary as a future King, since he was basically a party animal, never liked to be critiqued, and he even get divorced and married up to 5 times already, while the future King Jongcheveevat, is always a perfect exemplary when you heard the word “Prince”, he’s very kind to everyone, smart, discipline, straight up goody two shoes, although almost naive because he really wanted to change the government corrupt system, while it’s not as easy as flipping a hand even though he’s a Prime Minister back then. Thus— because the previous King was such a manipulative person, he insisted to the King Rama IX that he spreading lies about him, and because he was a Crown Prince back then, which not replaceable, unlike Prime Minister that could replaced to anyone, therefore King Rama IX decided to removed them from the Palace because his second child basically wanted to smeared the Palace’s reputation.”

Gulf taking his time to absorb all of the overwhelming information, even forget to continue to eat, which the teacher insisted him to continue eating. “I didn’t know that it was that complicated...”

“Yeah, it was such a rough time for both the Palace and Jongcheveevat family. But they had it even harder as the outcasted family. Khun Mew himself... He already repeatedly being used and manipulated by a lot of people, including his previous lovers and fiancée just because he was a part of Royal family, which is why he decided to stop believe in love, and didn’t want to get married back then. He solely focusing on his politic carrier for the last 5 years. He, too, was an exemplary student and already received his Phd right before he decided to build the modern democratic party — following his father’s path and ambition to change the nation’s government system.”

Gulf biting his lip when he heard this, he felt guilty because sometimes he hates the fact that the future Crown Prince was that cold to him. “I didn’t know that he was already being engaged before...”

“Well, it was definitely the roughest time for him personally...” Then the teacher’s wondering eyes move to Gulf’s, “What I’m trying to say, Your Highness, there’s a reason why he’s _that_ cold right now. Mostly, because when he loves someone, he loves hard. And he think that, it will be better if he’s alone rather than being hurt over and over again. I just wish that whatever will happened to your marriage in the future, even if you both are not in this because of love and only solely for the King Rama IX’s will and for political usage, I just wish that at least you could be a friend that he could be relied on. I... well it’s been years since us, royal servants seeing him without being guarded by himself.”

Gulf just stunned upon hearing this, before he said anything, Khun Suppapong continue, “Believe me, though it’s been years since us royal servants personally seeing him this close, but we knew, we’ve been watching him since the day he was born anyway — the fact that Khun Mew didn’t really want to be back here. To be appointed for the future Crown Prince, nonetheless, but he really couldn’t do anything since it was the wish from the general public during the coup. Well, life happens, right? You both must be not wishing to be here at this exact time and place. However, since he’s the one that wanted to change the government system the most, he really doesn't have many choices rather than to do this job, with a lot of people put so much expectation on his shoulder, nonetheless.”

Then Khun Suppapong’s gaze went soften at him, “Baby steps, all right, Your Highness? You both definitely could help to support each other to do this job. Maybe it’s hard to break through his walls — but just try to listen to him when he needed you, someday.” He smiled softly, and start to clean both of Gulf’s and his utensils and bring it to the kitchen servant. Gulf’s eyes still wondered, _will he be able to help supporting the future Crown Prince in the future? He could barely keep up with the etiquette lesson. Sigh_. But it’s the least that he could do.

The etiquette teacher back to sit in front of him politely, “Let’s continue our lesson, Your Highness, _su su na krub_.”

At that point, Gulf decided that instead of waiting for the Royal family to help him getting used to the Palace life, he’s the one that would try to learn his best to try to help with everything that he could do. He might never wanted to be here in the first place, but what could he do? The damaged had been done. He might as well getting used to it on his own. He started to getting used to the monarch life by trying to help at every process of coronation rituals that taken place in enclosure of Phra Maha Montien, in the Middle Court of Grand Palace.

Several preliminary ceremonies are held before the coronation day. The first introductory rite of the coronation is the inscribing of the new King’s full ceremonial styles and titles on Phrasupphanabat, and then they continue with the Hindu ritual called the homa or sacrifices to fire, which is performed by the royal court’s Chief Brahmin, who is also the High Priest of Shiva, and his followers, the court Brahmin. After the King brush himself on the head and hair to symbolize purification and give them back to the Chief Brahmin, who will then ceremonially burn each of the leaves.

Before the coronation day, a service of benediction will take place in all three section of the Phra Maha Montien group of buildings. The King will preside over these ceremony himself from inside the Phaisan Thaksin hall. The King begins the ceremony by the lighting of candles. From these candles, a taper is lit and given to the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, who will proceed to the Amarin Winitchai throne hall to light a special candle called the Candle of Victory. This candle will stay lit until the coronation ceremony. A senior monk will then read out a proclamation signaling the start of the coronation ceremonies. The entire assemblage of monks, following the recitation of the Five Precepts, will chant the Paritta Suttas and lay a protective thread around the buildings to ward off evil spirits. Before the end of the first day, the King will also send offerings of flowers to the Hindu deities in the Brahman temple, to the sacred white royal nine-tiered umbrellas, and to the images of the guardian spirits of the capital city at the city shrine.

Thus followed the next day by purification bath, which water from five principal rivers of the kingdom: the Chao Phraya, the Pa Sak, the Mae Klong, the Petchaburi, and the Bang Pakong being used. The royal anointing ceremony begins after the King is changed into his regal vestments. This elaborate and highly decorated traditional Thai costumes is composed of a golden embroidered jacket, traditional silk shirt, and pha nung lower garment. The King proceeds to the Octagonal Throne, at the east end of the Phaisan Thaksin hall, led by royal pandits, and Brahmins in a specific order. Before the ceremony is completed, the throne is topped with seven-tiered white umbrella, the symbol of an unconsecrated King.

The King first sit facing the east, the pandit in charge over that direction will advance and after paying homage, will hand him a cup of water from the eastern province to the King, address him and reciting prayer at him in Pali, and then in Thai.

_“Through the power of Triple Gems (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha), and through this water poured down upon him may the King be awarded success in the way heretofore invoked.”_

The King then dips his fingers into the cup and wipes his face with the water, he replies, _“Your auspicious speech, going right to the heart of Kings, I fain accept. May it come to pass as you have said. I shall extend my protection and exercise my royal authority over all those realms to the East and all beings that dwell therein. I shall remain on earth further protecting this kingdom, and her Buddhist religion and her people._ ”

The Eastern Pandit then replied, _“Good, my Lord.”_

The King will then rise from the throne and proceed to crowning. After receiving homage and get recited by mantra of “Opening the portals of Kailash”, the high priest then recite the final words and then takes the Great Crown of Victory from its bearer and hands it to the King. The King will then crown himself with it. At that moment the fanfare of instruments by Prakhom band of the royal court is played inside the palace, while the royal anthem is also played by a military band outside. At the conclusion of the presentation, the entire group of Brahmin will render homage to the King with the Chief Brahmin kneeling in front of the group while the Chief Brahmin kneeling in front of the group while pronouncing the final benediction, _“May His Majesty, the Supreme Lord, Who now reigns over the kingdom here, triumph over all and everywhere always.”_

After pronouncing his first command to reign with righteousness, for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people, he extend the royal authority to the Chief Brahmin as his sovereign do hereby provide for his righteous protection, defense, and keeping. The benediction service then conclude with the extinguishing of the Candle of Victory by the senior monk.

The King then giving her wife, the title of Somdet Phra Borommaracchini the Queen Mother, and giving installation ceremony by anointed them with holy water to the new Crown Prince and Princess afterwards, and decorating them with with the insignias of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri and the Order of the Nine Gems, while fanfare and music is played. The Queen, Crown Prince, and Princess then rise and take their seat on royal chairs beside the King. Together they receive the congratulations and homage from the members of the court.

With the main coronation rituals completed, the King is ready to grant an audience, and receive homage of the royal princes, state officials, and diplomats in the Amarin Winitchai throne hall. The King’s royal and sacred white elephant and the royal charger, both fully covered in decorative cloth, are tethered outside the throne hall. Meanwhile, outside the Grand Palace the royal barge is moored at the royal pier. The King then makes his way and sits on the Phuttan Kangchanasinghat throne. At this point a heavy gold curtain separated and obscures the enthroned King from his audience on the northern side of the hall. When the King is ready, the curtain is suddenly drawn back to reveal to the waiting audience to reveal to the waiting audience the King in state.

The audience is made up of members of the royal family, government ministers, members of legislature, judiciary, state officials, foreign guests, and members of the diplomatic corps — all in their finest state uniforms and decorations. An address is then made to the King by the current Prime Minister on behalf the government, civil servants, and members of the armed forces and police. An additional speech is also made by the president of the National Assembly. Afterwards, the King replies his own address, thanking the dignitaries, and urging those present to continue discharging their duties as before. With a bow from the audience at the end of the speech, a fanfare is sounded and the new Crowned King, Queen Mother, Crowned Prince, and Princess make a visit to Wat Phra Kaew, the royal chapel of the palace and make a declaration of their faith, which then followed by acceptance by chanting a benedictions by the monks. Then, The Crowned Royal Family make a homage to the royal ancestors, which then proceed the State progresses taken place, as a circumambulation of the capital city, the progresses were made by the king as a way of displaying himself before the people. The state progress on land would entail the king sitting on a palanquin being led in procession by his retainers traveling with the Grand Palace on his right shoulder, around the city walls of Bangkok. The progress on land included several stops in order to visit important temples in the city along the way. The king would dismount his palanquin and worship at the principal Buddha image and offer robes to the monks of each temple. The state progress on water is a royal barge procession travelling along the Chao Phraya river, taking the king from the Grand Palace south to Wat Arun.

After the whole tiring several days of Coronation Ceremony, the Queen Mother then locked eyes with Gulf that standing closely behind the Crowned Royal Family. Her gaze softened at him, not as fierce as usual. Which then made Gulf stunned a bit, and he decided to smiled and Wai the Queen Mother respectfully. _I must’ve doing a great job at following the whole Coronation Ceremony, didn't I?_

The Crown Prince think that they could take a breather right after the whole Coronation Ceremony. Little did he know, the right wingers started to move under the radar. Just a couple of weeks after the Coronation Day, the media started to blow up with his family scandal.

On top of the made up reasoning why their family being kicked out by the Palace a decade ago being brought up by the media, now they brought up that his father — the present King, was having overseas illegal investation and businesses during his days as Prime Minister. It was basically non-sense, of course. His father was being manipulated by his business partner back then, but because he was the co-owner of the company, he was being tied up to that scandal.

“Calm down, Mew, we knew we would expect this to be brought up by the right wingers,” Tul said, when he saw his friend still staring at the news at the television.

“Nowadays, news portal were not any different than gossip portal, isn’t it?” Mew chuckled darkly, turning off the television.

“Sadly, people will just believe what they wanted to believe. The hardest part is to make them believe our point of view,” Tul sighed.

This is the hardest part of political things in Mew’s eyes. The fact that people just had to brought the others down to bring themselves up. _Dirty, and disgusting_. They even wouldn’t be shy to made up things just to bring the others down. Mew closed his eyes and sighed deeply. His past traumatic experience with manipulative scandals shakes him a bit, and he knows that it’s just the start to the bigger scandal that would be brought up to them.

“Let’s just work hard so the people would put their trust on us, Phi,” Tul smiled sadly and patted both his friend’s shoulders.

_“....Highness?”_

_“......Your Highness?”_

Mew snapped and realized that his fiancée was calling for him. _Right_. They were on their way to the charity event that was held at the downtown by a big F&B company.

“We’re here already?” He asked back calmly.

The other just nodded while staring at him worriedly, “Yes, we’re here.”

Then, the chauffeur opened the Palace car’s door so they could go to the event. As the Crown Prince continue to walk elegantly and smiled a bit for the photographers and the media, he didn’t realized that his future husband is still staring closely at him at his side.

They went to the event for one and half hours of chatting with important people from government and big companies, and after the charity auction finished, they eat dinner together at a nearby place because they have no time to eat before the event. They never talked much together anyway, so it bound to happened that Mew back to staring faraway at nothing not long after he eat his meal silently. It’s when Gulf coughed softly at him he snapped back.

“Are you okay, Your Highness? You’ve been lost in your own thoughts all day.”

“I— yeah, sorry,” He try to focusing back on his meal instead.

“Do you want to get back? I’m not really hungry—“

“It’s okay, I haven’t got time to eat before.”

“You see, Your Highness, you could always told me if there’s something wrong.” The others’ staring at him worriedly.

“It’s nothing,” Mew shrugged, continuing to eat.

The younger one went silent for a bit before he continue, “People won’t really believe it, you know, the rumour, the scandal.”

That got the Crown Prince to finally look at him.

“I— maybe we’re not really know about each other, yet. But, given the circumstances that we would have... at least I could listen to you...?” He looked a bit hesitant when he said that. “Well, maybe you won’t even consider us even to be _‘friends’_ in the future. But I hope we could get more comfortable with each other since we will be seeing each other a lot in the future. Even if it’s just a political marriage.”

That was the first time the younger one voiced out his opinion, which, not sounded to bad to his future husband. The older one just raising his eyebrows and shrugged, continuing to eat, not seeing the hope in Gulf’s eyes.

_“It was being reported by an anonymous person that A.P, the Crown Prince Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat’s ex fiancée back in 5 years ago, that A.P was, apparently get abused sexually upon the time of their relationship, which makes them break the relationship even if they already went to plan their wedding back then. It was surprising, since all these time we’ve been seeing the Crown Prince in positive lights in terms of politically and his ambition towards education and building a good government—“_

Gulf turning off the television just right in time when Khun Suppapong went right in for their etiquette lesson. After they Wai each other and went for the lesson for a bit, he sighed sadly at Gulf, “You’re not believing those rumours, aren’t you, Your Highness?”

“Of course not!! I always remember what you said to me before about their family...” Gulf’s shoulder dropped sadly.

“Media is that harsh, isn’t it, Your Highness? You’ve also already went through a lot with your personal life being leaked by the media before. Imagine that the Royal family already went through that ever since they were born...” Khun Suppapong sighed dejectedly.

“ _I’ve—_ I’ve tried. To talk to the Crown Prince.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but, you’re right, it’s really hard to break through his walls.”

“Please don’t give up, Your Highness.” The etiquette teacher smiling with full of hope, “The Crown Prince really need someone that could listen to him. I really hope that you could be one in the future.”

Gulf just sighed softly before they were continuing their lesson.

Angry was not right emotion that the Crown Prince felt when he heard the news. It’s been years already, so instead of feeling emotional for something that beyond his control about his past — _his ex accusing him for something that he’s never do, nonetheless,_ but how could people believe his side of story? It get beyond depressing and frustrating for him. He was trying hard to calm his own emotion because the news break just right at the time before the legislative meeting happened, thus, of course, though the legislative members never show it directly upon his face, he just knew that they were talking about him on his back. _To think that his father’s scandal news ain’t died down yet... to think that this is probably just a start for something bigger to get leaked..._

During the two hours meeting, the sound of ticking clock, scribbled pen, rapping fingers, and typing fingers on the laptops troubled his mind. He couldn’t really focus though in public he managed to look still calm and cold as if nothing happens. However, inside, he really wanted to throw up and his panic attack started to coming through. _He really couldn’t let it to happened, he really couldn’t let it to happened, he really couldn’t let it to happened......_

He took a deep sighed before he ended the meeting and walk quickly albeit still look calmly to the VIP toilet to throwing up.

_Damn, this anxiousness._

Sometimes he just wished that the right wingers just dropped every bombs at one time, let the damaged to be happened at once, rather than killing him slowly like this. He really couldn’t pointed out who the hell that started all of this. Well, there’s a possibility, but they are already in the cell... The Crown Prince clean everything in the toilet, gargle his mouth with clean water, and put everything on its initial place so that everyone wouldn’t think that he had a short breakdown.

_“Your Highness? Do you have anything to talk about the recent rumors of scandals?”_ Several reporters started to following both the Crown Prince and Gulf after they give a short speech for the opening ceremony of the new section of National Art Museum. The Crown Prince that already never been that focused on the whole event just said, “As I said before, they were just rumours, for more information, the Palace’s Public Relation will give an official public announcement shortly.” They then make their way through the reporters and photographers to the car that already waiting for them.

The Crown Prince immediately leaning down on one of the seat in the limousine while Gulf choose to seat on the opposite site. Seeing the Crown Prince’s state, he simply close the blinds between the chauffeur, respecting his privacy and all.

“What do you want?” The handsome Crown Prince suddenly snapped at him without warning.

“ _I—_ I just think that you must don’t want someone to look at you at this state...” Gulf gulped, choosing to play with his own fingers.

The older one just put his left arm on top of his eyes and chuckled darkly, “You must’ve believe at what they said, aren’t you?”

“Wether it’s true or not, I will be your partner in the future. The least I could do is to supporting you, Your Highness.”

“ _Bullshit_ — stop mocking me,” The older one laughed darkly. And then there was a silence, and when Gulf was brave enough to look up to see the Crown Prince, he could see that his eyes was red, so red as if he was trying hard not to let the tears flow down upon his face.

“It’s tiring you know — to keep this facade, especially when people think that you’re perfect — with their expectation and all — _when in fact you’re not_ ,” He sighed tiredly.

Gulf just stay silent when the prince continue with shaky voice, “The fact that your humiliating past being talked about in public — regardless of it’s being true or not — moreover when it comes from the people that you don’t want ever to meet again.... It’s just sickening.”

“...Also the fact that you could never put your trust on anyone — even your own family and friends.... _Isn’t it sad?”_ He chuckled ironically.

Gulf just staring sadly at the Crown Prince. He might not being able to help much right now, and the other one might not look at him at all when he said those things, but Gulf realized that... he finally let him to see his vulnerable side.

They both find the wedding preparation that would be held next month to be a good distraction from the whole issue and scandal. And Gulf definitely could see that the Crown Prince was indeed slowly but surely started to opened up to him although most of the time he still feel guarded. However, from the Crown Princess and the Khun Suppapong's eyes — they were definitely surprised at this significant progress. Once, after the wedding preparation meeting, when the Crown Princess helped Gulf with the fitting of his traditional wedding costumes for the ceremony, she suddenly brighten up and said thank you to him. “You maybe not seeing that it’s a significant progress, but as her own sister — it’s really been a while since he warming up to new people. Thank you, once again. For being there for my brother. He really already been through — _like, a lot_.”

Gulf himself sometimes could feel that during the time where they were both needed to attend private events together, the Crown Prince’s gaze had soften on him, and the touch on the small of his back or his hip during the time where they needed to take photo together for media publication are getting gentler. Gulf himself sometimes get stunned when they were both needed to make small talk with important people at events, and suddenly the Crown Prince stare intensely at his eyes when he wanted to make approval regarding a few matters, and then make a dazzling smile at him and to the guest that made him breathless for a short second.

“So... between you and Poompui... Are you already officially broken up or what?” It’s been a while since he had the time to talk with Mild, but of course, being a good friend that he is, this is the first question that he would ask from Gulf.

“I don’t know, either, well, she’s the one that told me to ended up our relationship... what can I do more?” Gulf shrugged nonchalantly. Thinking about the complicated Palace life, with the wedding preparation happened right after the Coronation Ceremonies, not to mention the endless wave of scandals... And the fact that he still need to study so that he could graduate as soon as possible... He really didn’t have time to think about his girlfriend and/or ex-girlfriend right now. _What is their status again?_

Mild just nodded briefly, “Well, yesterday I saw her posting something about her agency or something... it seems like she went for drama casting...” Which only Gulf replied by slight nod while he finished his Ice Americano.

“So... the rumour about the Crown Prince.... is it true?” His friend asked him with questionable expression.

 _“The fact that you dare asking me this in front of my face—“_ Gulf snapped, “Whatever. So you believe the media more than your own friend?”

“That was the reason why I asked you in the first place. You haven’t told me everything about the Palace’s scandal,” His shorter best friend just shrugged at him nonchalantly, and freaking pouted.

The taller one just sighed, “Well, I couldn’t talk much regarding important matters inside the Palace... but the only thing that I could say is that I trusted him. He’s my future husband after all...”

His friend’s eyes bulge, “Eh? I thought _this—_ ” He draws circle in front of Gulf’s face with his hand, _“—will only be political marriage?”_

The slightly tanned boy frowned confusedly, “What do you mean?”

“So you’re saying that you’re not starting to have feelings for the Crown Prince? Usually you will be angry whenever you have to talk about this marriage — the fact that you never wanted to get married with the royals and everything... that you’re being pushed around by your family...” Mild trailing down everything before he finished with, “It’s literally the first time that you oddly enough talking this calmly regarding the Crown Prince and the marriage thing.”

_“Are you sure you’re not started to falling for the Crown Prince?”_

Gulf oddly went silent upon hearing his friend’s question.


	4. The Royal Wedding

He didn’t think that he would visit the most guarded cell in the nation at the first few months after the coup happened. First, they have a whole special unit to investigate the case with the prisoned royal members and government that got involved with the corruption, therefore there is no need for him to visit the prison on his own, because they give him a weekly report about the case before the first trial, anyway.

Wearing a black on black crisp shirt, trousers, and pointed leather shoes today, the Crown Prince also wear his prescribed glasses today. He rarely wear it outside his office nor his house, but he just know that everything that would be happening later today will just giving him headache, therefore he didn’t want to bother with contact lens because it will hurt his eyes and only add the builded up headache.

After he went through the strict screening of security to get through the most protected prison in the country together with his lawyer, he was totally not surprised to see familiar face already waiting for him in the prisoners’ private visitor room that was also highly guarded with multiple CCTVs, several security guard watching at the door, and one-way mirror, where they were being watched by the security from the other room.

_“Lovely cousin, it’s been a while,”_ The younger cousin that was only born one year later after him greeted Mew with friendly voice just to mocked him. Mew just snorted darkly when he heard him, didn’t even bother to reply with actual words. “How is the wedding preparation going?” His first cousin that shares a lot of similar features to him continue to speak. “You know, for a person that actually get kicked out from the Palace by our grandfather, you’re indeed an obedient grandchild. I've never even consider that his will is exist.”

Mew just calmly swept his tousled hair from his forehead. His cousin is known to be a player from his teenage years. Just like Mew following his father’s path to be someone that always seek for a good democrative government, Zee Pruk Panich also being successor to his father’s messed up love life. However, when his father went through divorces and marriage up to 5-6 times already, his son choose to never settle down and prefer to change women as easy as flipping a hand. Ironically enough, both cousins prefer not to getting married with a totally opposite reasoning.

“Are you missing the Palace life, dearest cousin? Seeing you being trapped in this place and all...” Mew choose to mocked his cousin back.

“Oh, no, not exactly. I missed my villa in Milan even more, and in Tasmania as well. Well, you guys would probably sold it soon and give it back to the nations just like your usual naive way of thinking...” He raised his eyebrow, “It has a really good views, strategic place, and a good winery nearby, _for your information_ , if you choose to make it as your holiday villa, or something.” He shrugged lightly.

The Crown Prince just rolled his eyes at his cousin’s act as if he wasn’t being caught at prisoned. “You see, Zee, I’m sure you already know the reason why I requested to meet you today,” Mew folded his hand and tilted his head to the left slightly.

“What? The scandal? You can see it with your own eyes, right? _The fact that I’m locked up here_ ,” His cousin shakes both of his hands that trapped with cuffs that being locked with the table in front of him.

“Oddly enough, you have a plenty of followers and fanatics even though you’re practically a piece of shit, Zee Pruk,” The Crown Prince rolled his eyes and the security from the other side reminded him to be careful with his words to avoid unnecessary fights through speakers, which only made the prisoner smirked.

“It’s not my fault if they are still being loyal even though I already got caught, _Your Majesty_ ,” Zee said, again, with mocking voice. “Also, is there something wrong with the spreaded rumours? As if you and your father aren’t completely guilty or something.” He snorted.

The Crown Prince trying hard not to break his resolve and calm himself down.

“Are you sure the one that leaked the scandal is from my side? Do you actually believe that you could trust your people 100% even when the people that trusted the most betrayed me?” The previous Crown Prince chuckled darkly. “If I had a chance to be a good cousin for once... My advise for you is to look closely especially with the people around you, _Phi_ ,” He emphasize the word ‘Phi’, again, mockingly.

Mew just gritted his teeth silently when his cousin continue, “Seriously though, we’re already been in the royal family for all of our lives.” The younger one shrugged. “You yourself must’ve known, Phi. We could never trust anyone, _even if its our own family_. _Even if its our closest friends_. There’s a saying to never put your trust and expectation on someone. Well I guess that was true. _You_ , for example, _would never trust me in the first place_ ,” He shakes his head in irony. “The same thing goes with my father and yours, even our own beloved grand father, _may he rest in peace_ , he never actually trust his own wife, children, and grandchildren.” He raised his eyebrow while laying down the truths coldly upon his cousin’s face.

When Mew just stunned still, he decided to continue, “I personally never interested to take the throne, you always knew that. I never like the idea of settling down, so I never really bothered that you actually took it, except the fact that I had to be locked up here.” He shrugged. “However, we both know that the current condition is still uncertain. I wouldn’t know if those stupid people will still put their beliefs in me when they decided to coup you back, or if your father’s monarch would long last until the day he finally passed away and you took his throne... _we would never knew what would be happening_ ,” He sighed. “Just... watch your back, Phi. That’s my last advice for you today.” The younger cousin smirked sadly before he asked the security to put him back to his cell, which left the current Crown Prince alone with his thoughts. For once, he admitted that his careless cousin’s words and advise were true. They never wanted the throne in the first place, and they wouldn’t even know of what would be happening in the future.

As he went back to the office, Mew think back to the time where he and his father talk about this issue. The Crowned King already told him that there is no use to think about this issue, and just focus on what come ahead instead.

“I’ve told you that we only solely focus on what’s come ahead, son, why do you need to think about some manipulated scandal? People that already put our trust on us won’t believe it because they’re not that stupid, son. Moreover, if you keep focusing on these scandals, there would be no end.”

“However, Your Highness, if we never put and end of it and search for the one that cause the gossip of scandal, our government will be shaken over and over again,” The Crown Prince insisted.

“However, you’re also remember, son, the fact that people that put their hate on us would be hating us regardless of what we’re doing — the fact that there is no end to it... Do you realized that there are no government that will get 100% support from its citizen? There will be pro and cons in every aspect of government. We simply couldn’t please every single person.” His father sighed and corrected the position of his prescribed glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Even if we’re succeeding on working to have a well-built government, there are still several people that would be missing the old government’s policy no matter how controversial they were. There is no point to focusing on the past, son. Even if there will be another scandal breaking out in the future, we have a totally capable public relation team to face that. You’re not alone at this. _I_ , also would help you, son. It’s not solely your own problem.” His father tried to calm his only son by patting him on his shoulders to give him assurance.

***

It’s the first time for Gulf to visit the northernmost city of Thai, Mueang Chiang Rai. And of course, it’s the first time for him to attend Palace duty as the Crown Prince’s partner outside of Bangkok. They went through a 1,5 hours flight in the early morning to officially open the Wat Rong Khun’s bridge since it’s already finished for its restoration for the past 6 years of renovation. Ever since the 2014 earthquake in Mae Lao, this breathtaking temple apparently still continue being restored, and only open for public for several parts, including the bridge that would be officially open today by its owner, the renowned national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat and the Crown Prince himself.

After the Crown Prince making a closing speech, he held Gulf’s back that was standing closely behind him to follow him when the Crown Prince went down the stairs to shake Khun Chalermchai’s hand formally and close the opening ceremony by taking pictures for the media. After the event was officially finished, the talented artist making a small talk with both the Crown Prince and his partner.

“It’s must be a long flight for both of you to visit Chiang Rai.” He politely asked them.

“Oh, no, it’s only 1,5 hours by plane, Khun Phi.” The Prince smile dazzlingly and he continue, “And it’s such an honor for us to be able to be a part of this ceremony, actually I’ve always been a fan of yours since I was a child, Khun Phi.” For the first time in forever, the Crown Prince show his actual gummy smile which shocked both Gulf and the artist himself.

“Really?! It’s such an honor for me having a Crown Prince to admire my artworks...” The middle-age man couldn’t help but having amused smile at the Crown Prince.

As they having conversation regarding Khun Chalermchai’s artworks that the Crown Prince like, Gulf silently watching the Prince’s child-like excitement that he never seen before. It was as if he break down all of his walls upon seeing his idol.

“So, Your Highness, how is the wedding preparation going?” He turned to asked Gulf, which surprised him because he’s not prepared.

“Uh, hmm, so far everything went according to the plan, Khun Phi. Please come to the Palace on the wedding day if you have time.” Gulf tried to speak politely. Actually Khun Suppapong’s lesson went pretty well since he started to being able to talk comfortably with the right attitude with new people on events.

“I will, I will, it’s such a pleasure to meet both of you.” The artist smile again. “Will you directly go to Bangkok or do you actually have time to see around Chiang Rai?”

“It’s actually his first time to go here in Chiang Rai... So, we will try to see around within the short time, well, probably until lunch, Khun Phi,” The Crown Prince answered for him.

“Ah, I see, have fun in Chiang Rai. Thank you once again for making time to come here, Your Highness.” The artist Wai both of them before they Wai him back and go outside the gorgeous white temple. Gulf paying attention to each pretty details of the White Temple before they move to the next destination by Palace’s car.

“How do you know that it’s my first time at Chiang Rai, Your Highness?” Gulf couldn’t help but voicing out his curiosity because he never feel that he already told the Crown Prince.

“Oh, yesterday Khun Suppapong told me when we were having a short meeting at the Palace.” He answered easily, he swiftly open the newspaper that he haven’t finished reading at the plane.

Gulf just bite his lower lip and hummed silently. He was a bit surprised when the other fold the newspaper neatly and said, “Actually this is also my first time to have a couple hours of free time here, usually I just went directly back to Bangkok whenever I have business meeting here.”

Gulf just nodded understandingly when suddenly the driver told them that they already arrived at the Wat Phra Kaew. The temple gains historical importance as the place where the Emerald Buddha was found. It is also one of the main centres of Buddhist education and the Sangha's administration in northern Thailand. The Crown Prince told him earlier that they will merit-making at the temple before they sightseeing at the city.

Upon mesmerized by the temple’s beautiful Phra Uposatha, the ubosoth, a consecrated chapel used for the Sangh's ceremonies and its nicely carved wooden structure with unique carved doors, the Crown Prince Wai the monks in respect. They then participate in the rituals and make merit offering a Sangkatan to the Thai Buddhist monks.

After the short merit making ceremony with the monk, they finish the process by offering a libation – by pouring water from one container into another and dedicating the merit to their family. While the monk continues to chant, they were ensuring that all the water is poured into the second container. As the session commemorates, the monks were praying for their good luck and sprinkle blessing water in return.

After they both Wai the monks in respect, they went to the Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong, for sightseeing a bit. Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong is one of the oldest Temples in Chiang Rai. In the temple there is a rare Lanna style Pagoda. Legend has it that the temple existed before Chiang Rai itself. Gulf closely in awe with the relics that were originally acquired by Prince Pangkaraj of Yonok Nakpan, who divided them into three parts for the three temples of Wat Phra That Doi Tung, Wat Phra That Chomkitti, and Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong, respectively. They went to the nearest restaurant nearby afterwards since they have to catch their 2pm flight.

They ordered several Chiang Rai’s speciality cuisines that often called Lanna food, such as Khao Soi Gai Nong, Sai Ua, Nam Prik Ong, and Larb Muang Moo. Upon eating their appetizer, the Crown Prince suddenly recalling the last time he visit this city with Tul, “Since his family’s hometown is Chiang Mai, I honestly always trusted him whenever we have to visit Northern Thai. But we almost never have time to sightseeing, so.” He shrugged his shoulders as he eat the chili tomato paste mixed with minced pork that tasted sweet and a little sour.

Gulf just nodded, “You must be really close to P’Tul, Your Highness.”

“Well, we’ve gone beyond just workmates or acquaintances, we’ve already known each other ever since we’re studying together in States. If not for meeting him, I wouldn’t be able to build the democrative party myself, let alone take over the government like this,” He pondered a bit. “Well, it’s certainly never easy to work together with your closest friends, but we managed it, thankfully.”

Gulf nodded understandingly, “I myself never imagine to work together with my best friend” He suddenly think of Mild both in adoration and annoyance, “Even as friends we are fighting a lot. We’re far too different with each other to be able to working together closely.” He showed a disgusted face which Mew found to be funny and make him chuckled a little.

“He’s really that annoying? Why do you ended up becoming best friends, anyway?”

“Well, we’re already classmates since high school, so I don’t really have much choices,” The younger one pouted slightly as he takes the food and chew it slowly. “Mild blabbered too much for my taste.”

“When will I be able to meet him? This Mild guy sounds funny.”

“Oh, you’re far busy for it, Your Highness. Meeting him would just wasting your time,” Gulf showing that disgusted face again. The Crown Prince laughed lightly this time around, making him stunned slightly to see the older one’s rare laughs. He’s totally blessed to be able to see his smile for a couple of times today, isn’t he?

“I will make sure to ask the Jom to put him in the wedding guest list,” He chuckled.

Upon hearing this he asked for something that been bothering him for a while, “Were you actually able to call each other by the name instead of your functional position, Your Highness? Since Khun Suppapong told me that —,”

The Crown Prince lightly cut him off, “ _Well_ , theoretically we won’t be able to do that, especially in formal meetings. But we’re brother and sister before “Crown Prince” and “Crown Princess”, well, our parents will be scolding us if they were caught us calling each other by name, but, well, if there’s only the two of us...” He shrugged lightly and smirked playfully.

Gulf just nodded while listen to the Crown Prince attentivelly.

“You can call me Phi if you want, anyway.” The older one raised his eyebrows playfully, “Just make sure don’t get caught by Palace’s staffs.” Then he smiled charmingly. The ever so perfect Crown Prince Mew Suppasit would never imagine how this simple act could affected the younger one so much.

After countless of preparations for the past weeks, finally the wedding was coming. While pondering about the fact that it was practically his last few days living at his family’s house — he never thought that he will be this sad upon the thoughts of having to leave his mother, father, and sister, that both and his mother ended up in tears before the day of the first ceremonial happened. A series of _‘please stay strong for our family’_ and _‘I’m sorry I wouldn’t be able to accompany you in the Palace, my son’_ were being told amongst of a lot of crying when the mother hugged her only son tightly. His father and his sister might not be told him much, Grace even mocking him, _“I never thought that you will be getting married before me, Ai’Nong.”_ but being with the family for all his life, he knew that they were just held their emotions so that the entire household wouldn’t ended up to be a crying mess.

The first ceremonial event held before the wedding day arrives. A Buddhist ceremony was held during which the couple will pay their respects to Traitipattanapong’s ancestry. Nine monks were present during this occasion, sitting with water in before them. Sitting next to the first monk on an altar, the holy thread will be kneaded around the bride, groom, and into the monk’s hand. The holy water that will be used for the wedding day sits before the first monk, holding a candle inside of it. The monks then pray repeatedly and return to their temple.

The morning of the Thai wedding, the Crown Prince wear his regal vestments, with highly decorated traditional Thai costumes that was composed of a golden embroidered jacket, traditional silk shirt, and pha nung lower garment; and Gulf was wearing Suea Phraratchathan, a button-up shirt, with an extended collar, long sleeves and a sash, completed with the Pakama, a large rectangular piece of fabric, was wrapped up around the waist. Upon the first ceremony of the wedding day, the nine monks showered the holy water onto the guests of the wedding, while a holy thread is once again strung circularly around Gulf and the Crown Prince, symbolizing unison together. After this, trays of small dishes are placed before each monk where prayers will be said, and each monk is given money inside of an envelope. This is because the monks are not allowed to touch the money.

As a Royals they did the traditional ceremonial thing that already rarely happened in regular wedding, which is the “door ceremony” in which the Crown Prince opened gates towards the Traipipattanapong’s house. Before opening each gate toward the bridal house, the groom first provide a gift to become more extravagant with each gate opened.

After the “door ceremony”, a “feet-washing ceremony” was held. During this, the Crown Prince was standing upon a chair, with Gulf bowing below him, washing his feet and symbolizing her respect for him. Whilst this was happening, the dowry is presented to the guests showing that the groom can financially support his new partner.

The last and final ceremony to be held during a traditional Thai wedding is the “shell ceremony.” The couple will hold hands, kneeling upon a pedestal, before an elder. Guests of the wedding will sprinkle holy water out of a shell onto the couple’s hands while saying their words, as well as handing them a money-filled envelope. Upon receiving this, the couple will give the guests in return a small keepsake for the wedding.

After the ceremony, the Crown Prince then giving her wife, the title of Kanawut Phra Borommaracchini the Prince, and giving installation ceremony by anointed him with holy water to the new Prince afterwards, and decorating him with the insignias of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri and the Order of the Nine Gems, while fanfare and music is played. The Crown Prince and Prince then rise and take their seat on royal chairs beside the King, Queen Mother, and Crown Princess.

The newly married couple then receive the congratulations and homage from the members of the court and receives homage from officials, diplomats, and audience that was made up of members of the royal family, government ministers, members of legislature, judiciary, state officials, foreign guests, and members of the diplomatic corps — all in their finest state uniforms and decorations.

Afterwards, the Crown Prince replies with their own address, thanking them to make their time to be present at their wedding day and urging those present to continue discharging their duties as before. With a bow from the audience at the end of the speech, a fanfare is sounded and the newly married Royal couple make a homage to the royal ancestors, which then proceed the State progresses taken place, as a circumambulation of the capital city, the progresses were made by them as a way of displaying himself before the people. Similar to the Coronation day, the state progress on land would entail the Royal couple sitting on a palanquin being led in procession by his retainers traveling with the Grand Palace on his right shoulder, around the city walls of Bangkok. The progress on land included several stops in order to visit important temples in the city along the way.

After the whole event, the couple were led to the bridal bed in the Dusit Palace where their parents were waiting to give them symbols of prosperity, harmony, love, happiness, comfort, early waking, and a long life. They give a lot of advice — even the Queen Mother grew even fonder to Gulf, she gave him a lot of useful advices in very warm manners — and then they leave them in the room alone, while of course their private place was still guarded by the Palace’s security guard.

The Crown Prince just chuckled bed when he notice that they were still doing this old tradition that was not often carried out in modern times, as a sign of wanting children. “They were still doing this, huh? Even if they knew that both of us are not capable to have children with each other.” Gulf just nodded shyly, didn’t even have the courage to see his new husband on his eyes, especially when he asked him if he needed help to help him taking off the traditional costume that won’t be comfortable for sleeping.

“I wonder why Khun Suppapong insisted me to learn taking off this particular traditional clothing, now I understand why,” The Crown Prince just keep chuckling when he lightly said this as if he didn’t make Gulf into a shy mess upon helping him undressing the highly detailed clothing and changed it into the prepared pajamas. Only God knows how the Crown Prince didn’t realized that his new husband is red up to his neck and ears. 

“Just let’s sleep today, shall we? The whole ceremonial thing was so tiring, I freaking need a rest.” The Crown Prince stretched his hand up high and laying down at the bed after he changed into pajama himself. Gulf just nodded shyly while he awkwardly sit on the other side of the bed.

“Life is funny isn’t it? When I think that I wouldn’t ended up marrying anyone, life just happened in the most twisted way.” The Crown Prince tousled his hair in messy ways after a long day being hair-sprayed and waxed.

“Can I ask, Phi? Why you choose not to marry anyone?” _Well, Gulf already heard a few speculations from a few people, but asking the actual person wouldn’t hurt, isn’t it?_

“Well, it’s just tiring to have serious relationship. Other than it actually would hold back my ambitious path in politics and I think not everyone is prepared for that...” The handsome prince close his eyes and sighed heavily, “Maybe I just don’t want to keep expecting something from someone that wouldn’t give their all for me.”

Gulf bite his lip hesitantly, he actually never expect that the Crown Prince would answer him since it’s a pretty private matter.

“I’ve never really regretted to be born and raised in Royal family, since I wouldn’t be able to receive the privileges of having education in prestige schools and connections for my career if not for my background, but it certainly did ruined love life. It’s getting tiring when at the end of the day, the person that you love so much just want nothing but your background and money, as cliché as its sounds, it was indeed happened. Some of them went as far as accusing me to harass them just because they want instant money and the publicity. It’s tiring to living a life like that, I guess? Therefore I just decided to stop trying.”

The Crown Prince then ask him back, “You must understand since you’re a man yourself, right? Upon breaking up with your girlfriend you feel like your life went through an end, right? Just try to imagine that with your complicated position at the Palace, and multiple that dejected and useless feelings by 2 or 3 times since I nearly getting married with this person that suddenly turned their back at me for the sake of money and fame.”

The younger one listened closely and nodded understandingly while he remember that his relationship with his ex-girlfriend himself went through a whirlwind because of his sudden arrangement at the Palace. It was as if their promises of love and forever for all of these 2 years just gone within a snap of fingers. _Whoop_. Just like that.

“Well, everyone have their own reasoning on the path that they choose on life. There was a time when I’m thinking to marrying someone from other country’s Kingdom, you see, for diplomatic reason just like the ancient time. But the Palace’s law ironically didn’t allow that, or else I would be removed from the line of succession. Well, I think I’ve never been someone that would be married for the sake of position and image myself... So, I don’t think that was for me...” He put his left arm on top of his closed eyes before he continue, “Therefore after lots of thinking, I simply think that marriage is not for me, after all. And most of all, I think I prefer to be alone rather than being hurt again, I guess? Bearing the entire nation’s expectations is already hard as it is, why would I want to add up more problems to my life?” The Crown Prince chuckled sadly.

Gulf tried to held back his hand from touching the Crown Prince’s tousled hair to comfort him, and instead replied before he had the chance to stopped himself, “You must never think of me as anyone that was worth to be reckoned with, you've might be never even consider us as partners, but I hope — given that we’re already being officially knotted to each other and all, I hope that you could at least consider me to be someone that you could talk to if you have hard time, Phi. You buried a lot of things inside your head on your own — _especially with your recent position, pushed from all sides, and having all of people’s expectation upon you, having to watch your back every single time_ — sometimes I wish I would be able to ease your mind even for a short second.”

“Sometimes I think that my own problem is already hard as it is, but to think about it, all of my accumulative problems are nothing to yours, Phi. I might won’t be able to help you to resolve your problem, but at least I will always put my trust and beliefs upon you. You know that I’ve never trust a thing that media told every time they spread your scandal, right? _Please, remember that I will always be here to listen to you, Phi.”_

Mew just stunned upon hearing this, he raised from his laying down position a bit to locked eyes with the younger one, when the other one avoid his gaze and bury his head in the plush comforter.

****

“Phi, I think... I have the theory on who on earth spread the scandal....” Suddenly Tul break through his office room.

“Why so suddenly? Is it legit or what?” The older one only slightly moved his head from his laptop because he had enough of speculating someone the entire month. And his father was indeed right, it’s useless to think about this. Not just it would put his head into an entire mess of distrust with everyone, it also affected his work.

“I don't know, but I suddenly found this traced email... From your father’s ex-partner in his previous company, you know the problematic one...”

“What?”

“But, I’m not sure, it could be wrong, right?” The younger one bite his lower lip hesitantly. _“What if it’s wrong?”_ He speak more to himself than to Mew’s.

“What do you mean....?”

Tul just gulped hesitantly, afraid to what to come once he said it.

_“I think — Tay is involved in all of these, Phi...”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In real life, it's very, very, hard to find traces of data for Thai's Royal Wedding... Therefore I ended up mix-matching data of Thai Traditional Wedding, a short article of the latest Royal Wedding which mostly consist of the coronation of the King's consort to be his Queen, and several more articles regarding Thai Wedding... and write it to be more suitable with the storyline. Therefore, I am deeply apologize should the whole ceremonial act didn't matched up with the real thing. 🙏 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy the story as much as I am writing it! ❤️


	5. Unadorned reality.

“From last week’s polls, a number of 53% say they have high levels of trust in what the King and government are telling the public. Another 29% trust government a moderate amount,” The Senior Strategist to the Crown King presented the report at the weekly Crown King’s staff meetings with the Crown King and Crown Prince himself.

When the Crown King give him the nods for him to continue to speak, the Senior Strategist continue, “Confidence in the government is higher amongst your supporters, Your Highness, — and 18% say they have little or no trust in what the government said regarding the scandals.”  
  
“But even as many right wingers supporters question the monarch’s credibility after the scandal outbreak, the overwhelming majority — 82% — say they still approve of how you’re doing. That’s helped keep the Crown King’s overall approval rating steady at 60%, about where it’s been for the past few months.” He finished the report and take a seat at his reserved seat again.

As the Crown King hummed and asked for the Crown Prince’s opinion regarding this matter, Mew snapped from his short dazed.

“Crown Prince?” The King repeated before Mew focused and cleared his throats.

“Ah yes, Your Highness, I think the survey’s findings shows your rock-solid backing from the public, who have been unwavering in their overall support throughout your leadership, despite reservations about your credibility because of the scandal. If that support holds through the the end of the year... I think we could have a chance to have a stable government and monarch.”

“Yes, I agree, Your Highness,” Tul, who currently held the position of Chief of Staff to the Crown King agreeing with the Crown Prince. As the Crown King asking the Director of Communication to keeping up the good work at resolving the scandal outbreak, upon hearing his best friend’s voice, he turned back to the time where he told him about the possibility of his cousin’s involvement in the scandal. Of course he haven’t told other people yet — not even his own father. Or else, the entire meeting room’s situation would be entirely different.

The problem is, his entire family already been through a lot of disappointment and betrayal from their closest one including their own family, however, to have another one, by the last and only family that they could put their entire trust to — it’s just freaking tiring. Mew just doesn’t know who else that he could put his trust on. And to imagine that he had to tell his own family about this recent fact — there is no way that their entire family wouldn’t ended up in a mess. He already have a headache upon imagining it.

When he decided to take another painkiller during dinner at an event afterwards, suddenly someone held his arm, which surprised him a bit because he haven’t been focused for a while.

“Phi? Are you sick or something? Do you want me to call for a doctor?” The familiar face that was showing concern suddenly move so close to his face and he move slightly backwards in instinct, “No, you don’t have to. I’m okay.”

“Phi? Are you sure? You already took another painkiller on the way... and you seems distracted from the event...” His husband’s eyebrows still frowned in worry.

“I—,” Mew said hesitantly before he shakes his head and gulped down the water in front of him and asked the waitress just to take his unfinished dish because he didn’t have an appetite to finish his dinner. “Let’s just wait for a little bit. It’s only 15 minutes left before the event would end.” He whispered to the younger one so that he could stop worrying, which he didn’t realized that it makes the other one held his breath slightly before he nodded in agreement.

Just like other formal events, it would ended with taking pictures for the media, talking with the important people for the last time, and when they have extra time, they would answering the reporters’ questions. However, tonight, the Crown Prince that already put off his black blazer right after the event, declined the reporters politely and went directly to the Palace car where he rest his head to the car’s window while he put his glasses off and close his eyes.

It’s been a couple of week since the Crown Prince acted rather oddly and it bothers Gulf that the other always find a way not to talk about it with the younger one. He definitely knows something goes wrong but he couldn’t pushed the older one if he doesn’t want to tell Gulf himself. Gulf just sighed and close the blind between the chauffeur and them and asked the him, “Here, Phi, just sleep in my lap if you still have a headache.” He offered his lap by tapping it.

The handsome prince just chuckled and replied, “There are literally other seats that I could sleep on in this limousine, why should I—“

“Please, Phi? You’re worrying me,” The other grabbed his shirt slightly in puppy face, Mew finally gave up and put his head on the younger one’s lap and sighed. “ _Fine_. You’re happy, now?” He said while look up to Gulf’s eyes.

“Of course, not, you’re sick, Phi,” The younger one that styled his hair curly tonight still give him that puppy face, Mew could only sighed in defeat.

After a few minutes of silence and it’s clear to Gulf that the older haven’t sleep yet, “Do you still don’t want to talk me what’s the matter with you for the past week, Phi?”

“Why you just notice the littlest thing from me, Gulf Kanawut....” He said it more like a statement than a question.

Gulf just sighed silently. _Like I could tell you why, Phi._

He just swept through the Crown Prince’s hair slowly instead of answering him, hoping that it could lessen his headache.

“I should ask my mom and Khun Suppapong to make you learn for more things instead of put so much attention towards me,” The Crown Prince chuckled still with his eyes closed.

Gulf just pouted slightly, “I had enough lessons everyday, Your Highness. And if you remember enough, I still had to finish my lesson at the uni.”

“ _Right_. So, why still you have time to intervene my problems?”

The younger one just sighed dejectedly, “It’s been weeks, Phi. It’s hard for me to see it slowly destroying you. You have been distracted from works and your routines... and it pained me that you started to take unhealthy amount of painkillers and not finishing your food.”

At this the Crown Prince opened his eyes and looked up to the younger one. _Why do you put so much attention to me, again?_

“The things is, Gulf, I couldn’t tell you everything. Especially regarding this matter. Not even my own father knows... I haven’t tell him because I still don’t know if I already found enough evidences regarding this matter... and just thinking that if it’s ended up to be true...” He sighed tiredly, “I couldn’t imagine how messed up it would be.”

The younger one couldn’t help but feeling even more worry with the Crown Prince, and without even thinking he was leaning down and kissed the Crown Prince’s forehead, which just make the other look up and searching for his eyes, while Gulf unknowingly blush.

“Phi, for all I know — as your silent followers back in the day of your activist day... well, you might always have endless bad rumours around you and your family ever since you were young, however, with your views and your ambition towards building a good government and to have democrative reformation are a few things that makes makes people look up to you and believe in you. So, please don’t start to think that people would stop trusting you just because a mere rumour.... we, regular people are not stupid, Phi. We of course know that your opponent will conspire against you once your family take the throne. What matter the most is the fact that you are still doing what you believe from the start, and not turning back from the society just for your own gain.”

When Mew just helplessly looking at his eyes without saying any words, Gulf decided to continue while he gently swept his hair from his forehead, “You have been went through endless whirlwind of rumours in the past and you managed to get through it, Phi. Of course you could do it now in the present time or in the future. What could make it any different?”

The handsome prince just chuckled sadly while he reaching out his hand to caress the other’s worry face, “What if— what if something that would be spreaded in the future is not rumours, but a bitter fact that have been hidden from the public society for all these years...? I’m not as good and as angelic for what people always believed on, Gulf...”

“Of course, no one is angelic. We’re humans, not angels. It bounds to happened. I’m no angel myself. I have a lot of mistakes that people always love to bring out the day where I get announced to be your spouse. But as I was saying, Phi, it doesn’t really matter if your past mistakes were haunting you in the future. It’s the thing that you could do to resolved it in the future that will matter the most. You may never get to change your past mistakes, everyone does, but of course you could managed it well in the future. People put their trust on you. _I’ve_ always put my trust on you.” The younger one insisted which only make the Crown Prince chuckled because of his naivety.

“Why you put so much trust towards me? Who knows if I could be the mastermind of these scandal to take over my own dad?” The older one playfully raised his eyebrows, which only makes his slightly tanned spouse rolled his eyes.

“Phi, you’re too kind for that thing. Why would you stabbed your own father on the first place? And why you spread your own rumours on top of that?” He shook his head. “As I was saying — as your silent followers for years...”

“So, you’ve been following my activist activity back then?” He chuckled amusedly.

“Of course! I even joined some of your protest before the coup— Khun Mae always nagged me and said what if his only son get caught by the Police or something—,” The Crown Prince chuckled amusedly while he seeing the younger one that usually always trying to be seen reserved and calm around him scrunching his face and blabbered about this and that, as if he was forget to put his calm, which he found to be very cute and oddly makes him have the urge to pushed the younger prince’s head down and gently peck him on the lips which only makes the other stunned instantly while the Crown Prince turned around and said, “Let me sleep a while until we arrive at the Dusit Palace. We’re still have an hour to go.” As if he didn’t ruined the younger one’s mind.

Since he’s been seeing how the Crown Prince’s acted for a couple of weeks now, it really didn’t surprised him when the news break out after he finished his class of the day. At the corridor where all of the students passed him by and even get mad at him because he kept standing with all of his 185cm glory and practically blocked the corridor with his height, he only kept his eyes at the first news article that spreaded through the internet with his mobile phone. He didn't even took a notice that a couple of students started to eyeing him oddly because surely they already read the same article that Gulf currently read.

_**The Truth About Queen Sirikit Death?** _

_Started with blind rumours with anonymous source — it was said that our beloved Queen Mother for more than 50 years, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, May She Rest In Peace, were linked to the cause of the current Crowned King Jongcheveevat’s previous removal from the Palace. A decade ago, His Majesty King Rama IX only told the press via the monarch’s Press Relation, the fact that they removed their second son from the family line was because of his lack of compromise and cooperation with the monarch when he held the position of Prime Minister. His Majesty followers then believed — mostly through his son’s, now the Crown Prince Mew Jongcheveevat’s democrative party — that the truth behind his removal was mainly because the King Jongcheveevat basically wanted to reveal his older brother, King Rama X’s controversial attitude and his act of misused of the nation’s fund for his personal gain when he was a Crown Prince._

_From the anonymous source, it was being said that the previous theory from King Jongcheveevat’s followers were true, however, it was only a small part of the much bigger scandal. It was well known that both of King Rama IX’s children were never have a good relationship from the early age because of their contrast attitude, with the then Crown Prince and first son always seems controversial with his lack of attitude, free live and love-life with his multiple marriages and divorces, whilst his younger brother was a straight up exemplary son with his high ambition in politics. And it seems that their rivalry towards each other added up until they got older and had children on their own, and the personal rivalry turned into family rivalry, with an addition of their children also hate each other’s attitude. That was until the point it get boiled up when the King Jongcheveevat held a position as Prime Minister and wanted to “finished” his older brother once and for all from his throne as Crown Prince because according to him, based on the King Rama IX’s messed up life, there is no way that he could build a good government later in the day, since the King Rama IX almost always dictatorial for all his live, never like to be criticized, on top of his miss-usage of the nation’s fund and several other government’s scandals. However, their father, His Majesty King Rama IX, who still have so much hope with his first son, could only think that his second son’s act was an act of betrayal towards the monarch, that he only did that to smeared the monarch’s reputation._

_Apparently, it was said that their fight turned to be physical, and when both of their son trying to threaten each other with their reserved guns, the Queen Mother was helplessly trying to separate her children with each other and accidentally get shot by one of the guns — still being unknown until the present time — of her own sons. Therefore, it was said that the monarch trying to covered up that unfortunate fact by the removal of their second children from the Palace and since then, they announced that Queen Mother Sirikit was being sick and hidden from the public until a few years later where the monarch announced her death as a national mourning day — when in fact Her Majesty already get cremated just several days after her second son’s removal from the monarch._

_It was such a heartbreaking scandal since Her Majesty Queen Sirikit was our longest served Queen in the nation, and her involvement towards our nation’s culture and education are definitely remarkable. Not to mention when the King undertook the traditional period as a Buddhist monk in 1956, Queen Sirikit acted as regent. She performed her duties so well that she was officially named the Regent of Thailand and the King gave her the title "Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat" on his birthday, 5 December 1956. She became the second Siamese Queen regent in Thai history._

_Queen Sirikit's birthday, like the King's, is a national holiday, and is also Mothers' Day in Thailand. She is particularly revered in the more remote and traditional parts of the country, where the monarchy is regarded as semi-divine. Her work in promoting tolerance and understanding for the Muslim minorities in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat have made her especially popular amongst Thai Muslims. The Queen has a strong bond with southern Thailand, and she formerly spent months in the Muslim-majority provinces every year. She is considered to be one of the more quiet diplomats._

_Queen Sirikit is well known for her charitable work, where she is the honorary president of the Thai Red Cross, a post she has held since 1956. She gained new prominence in this role in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in southern Thailand in December 2004. She has also been active in relief work for the many refugees from Cambodia and Burma in Thailand._

_The Queen is also active in promoting Thai culture and history, mainly through her initiative in the making of the Thai movie The Legend of Suriyothai, one of the most lavish and expensive Thai movies ever made._

Gulf could only sighed dejectedly and thinking about what could ended up to be happening at the Dusit Palace once this rumour would be spreaded out. He didn’t even realized that the students starting to murmur around him, and the Palace’s security guards that usually always following him from a far asked him to move and basically dragged him to the Palace’s car since he had no will to move from his spot.

_Phi, where are you?_

The 29 years old Crown Prince honestly never really surprised that this rumour would be spread out. However, his family and the entire Palace never expected and prepared towards for what it would comes. And to think that his father directly aborted the current meeting and decided to went to the Dusit Palace to meet with the father of his third cousin — Uncle Vihokratana, he couldn’t help but having a glance towards his long time friend which he could only replied with shrugged and low whisper, _“What else that I could do? I already told you about this fact few weeks ago and you literally not giving any act towards it. Now it’s far too late—,”_

“At least you could ask for my opinion first before asking my own father, Tul,” The Crown Prince sighed upon seeing his father break through his cousin’s house in the Palace without warning. His cousin’s guards also not prepared for the sudden act, and also couldn’t deny his entrance since it’s the Crown King himself.

“Ratchawat— I’ve trusted you. Why did you this?! It’s literally one of the darkest secret of our family.”

“ _Cousin_ — _calm down_. Where did you heard this non-sense that it’s me that spread it? I could literally gain nothing from all of these,”

_“How could you—“_

“So you literally never trust anything that our family been saying? After years of our good relationship, Phi. Do you really trust non-sense from other people?! Who give you the idea of these bullshit?!”

“But who else that could break it other than tour family?!?! You want the throne?! Fine— our family already feel the burdened of this fucking throne from day 1, and don’t _‘cousin’_ me!!!!” His son and guard held the Crown King from going physical with his cousin, while Tay himself and his mother seems horrified by the sudden outburst of his uncle, “Leave our family alone!!! Do not ever, _ever_ touch my family again.” The King screamed before he went out from the southern most part of the Dusit Palace.

Just when he want to followed his father, suddenly his third cousin held his arm desperately, “Mew — what’s wrong with Uncle? You’re not also believe in any of these, right? I mean — we literally could not gain anything from revealing this to the public — we always felt bitter whenever we remember about this, Mew...”

The slightly older cousin by a few months only sighed while he trying to removed Tay’s hand from his arm. “I don’t know, Tay— but there are already several proofs that shows that you were included on all of these... I was trying hard to find other evidences for the past weeks that maybe shows that you weren’t involved in these scandals— but I guess I was wrong,” The Crown Prince seeing his trusted cousin in a huge disappointment for one last time before he following his own father.

It was unavoidable that the Dusit Palace went through a cold war from both sides of the family ever since the family tragedy that been hidden for almost a decade breakout through the country. Maybe it was well known that the two children of King Rama IX was never get along, however with the Queen Mother... She was someone that always being loved by the entire nation because she was such an inspiring women. Not one people have a bad impression towards her no matter how problematic her children and husband was, given that she has long track records of her own share in the advancement of Thai’s culture and government, literally every women in the country aspire to be her, and they always expected that their daughters to be as good as her, that was why on the day where her death being announced... the entire nation was in huge mourning because of the lost of the longest reigned Queen Mother of Thai. And the fact that His Majesty King Rama IX never remarried after he lost her... it was basically a representative of what the society thinking of her — no one could replace her for the position of the Queen Mother at that time.

And now that it was break through the entire nation that her death basically was a tragedy caused by her messed up children... it was such a disappointment towards the nation. A number of _‘what-ifs?’_ and _‘what could it be?’_ were being murmured around.

And the Crown Prince could only sighed dejectedly when he see it through the television on his mansion on the northwest part of the Dusit Palace, one of the women activist spoke how she felt a huge disappointment towards the monarch. “Don’t get me wrong, I also supported the coup back then, but... to see the fact that we’re also supporting the problematic part of the monarch... it breaks my heart that maybe we no longer have any hope from anyone in the monarch. Now I also question myself, _do I make a wrong choice by supporting the current Crown King?_ ” Her statement might be such a controversial thing, that was why she prefer the media to blurred her face and changed her voice, but Mew could only think how it represented the majority of how the public felt trough the entire tragedy. He himself sometimes questioned this thing. He loves his grandmother for all his live. _I mean — who doesn’t?_ She might be never get blessed with a peaceful family herself, but she was such an inspirational human being through and through. The entire nation could never knows the fact losing her was basically something that breaks their family apart more and more to the point where it could never be repaired. If anything, her existence basically the only thing that could make his father to stay at the Palace back then. _And to think that it was either his father's fault or his uncle’s fault that caused his beloved mother were long gone from the world... How his father never forget the guilt of the horrifying thing that slowly breaks him apart..._ that was why Mew himself was more active politically after their family were being removed from the monarch, because he knows that his own father could never 100% recovered from the feeling of guilt.

 _“Should these end? These whole things?”_ The Crown Prince asked more for himself rather than his spouse when he felt the younger one hugged him softly from behind to comforted him.

“What things, Phi?” The younger one asked confusedly before the Crown Prince turning around to ducked his head on Gulf’s left shoulder, which only makes the younger one caressed his head to calm his spouse down.

“Honestly that question always running through my mind ever since the day people asked me to be the Crown King.” He then looked up and searching for the younger’s eyes rather closely. “What if the entire monarch system is never worked? The entire environment of this Palace were already very toxic to begin with, so there is no way that people won’t be disappointed in us... Caused by Tawan or not... these cold hard truth will be spread out sooner or later, either way...”

Seeing the Crown Prince’s helpless state just make Gulf’s worry even more of him. It was also beyond of his ability and competence to resolve this thing. He just silently put Mew on his embrace and caressed his back, hoping that it would put comfort on the older one. “I don’t understand, either, Phi. But at this point the society must be as helpless as yours. Even if they demand change in the government again, will it turned better or even worse? Do we still have hope for anyone in these matter? _What if it will turned to be the same rough end over and over again?”_

Just when the younger one sighed through his tousled hair, Mew leaned back, closely watching his spouse’s face with sad eyes and asked something that the younger never understand at that moment, _“What if... we need to restart the entire thing?”_ Before he wanted to ask what the older means by asking that to him, the Crown Prince leaned back even further before he slowly kissed his lips and tugged his chin on the younger’s shoulder. “As for now, please stay with me, okay? We might never now of what could happened in the future... I might will give you the choice to choose for your own path in the future... but as for now... stay with me, okay?”

_What do you mean by that, Phi?_

_“In the early years of his reign, during the government of military dictator Plaek Phibunsongkhram, King Rama IX had no real political power and was little more than a ceremonial figure under the military-dominated government. In August 1957, six months after parliamentary elections, General Sarit Thanarat accused the government of Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram of lèse-majesté due to its conduct of the 2,500th anniversary celebration of Buddhism. On 16 September 1957, Phibunsongkhram went to King Rama IX to seek support for his government. King Rama IX advised the field marshal to resign to avoid a coup. Phibunsongkhram refused. That evening, Sarit Thanarat seized power. Two hours later King Rama IX imposed martial law throughout the kingdom. Bhumibol issued a proclamation appointing Sarit as "military defender of the capital" without anyone countersigning the proclamation,"_ Khun Suppapong’s voice was heard through the entire patio where they usually took their lesson. While Gulf was silently nodded through today’s monarch historical lesson, he oddly saw familiar face from the black and white pictures on the text book. “Excuse me, Khun Suppapong, can I ask?”

“Yes, Your Highness? Do you didn’t understand something? Do I need to repeat it?”

“No, no, no, I just curious about this specific photo... who is this, may I ask?” He pointed to one of the person who standing right beside King Rama IX when he was around his 30, early on his reign.

“ _Oh_ — that was King Rama IX’s Director of Communication at that time, Your Highness. He served for the King for more or less 11-12 years, I think and he was one of the King’s trusted person.”

Gulf just nodded understandingly, “Oh so he just stopped serving for the King afterwards? Did he move to other responsibility or being promoted to other job afterwards, Khun Suppapong?”

“Well, unfortunately that was not the case, Your Highness. He was passed away because of heart attack back then. From what I read from the book and what I heard from my parents... his death was pretty sudden. It was rather odd if I may say... My parents’ told me that he’s one of the healthiest person amongst all of the Palace’s staffs, and to think that he passed away before 45... right after her daughter gave birth his first grandchild nonetheless... it was pretty sad because you could never expect when the universe will taken your life away, right, Your Highness? Not to mention when they said that he never complained about his health at all...”

When his teachers continue to talk about their historical lesson, Gulf just silently absorbing the information regarding one of King Rama IX’s staff at that time. _Why he sensed something wrong here._.. He frowned and think more to himself.

When he accompanying the Crown Prince to opened the Chula–Thammasat Traditional Football Match to give a short speech for his alma mater, Gulf honestly never expected that he would meet his ex-girlfriend here out of all places. _He never even got the chance to meet her at their own university, and why now and at this exact place?_ He silently wondered.

“Accompanying him, aren’t you?” She said casually, she was wearing their school’s cheerleading uniform. “They also have cheerleading matches for all universities and I happened to represent our school if you may asked.” She continue upon seeing Gulf’s confused face. Well, today they will be watching the first match after the Crown Prince opened the match, and today was one of those days where he could take a seat amongst out of all attendee instead of standing closely behind his spouse. And then suddenly Poom took a seat beside him, a seat that was reserved for the Crown Prince after he make his speech. Thinking that it was probably one of his acquaintances, the security guard only standing silently behind them.

“We really need to talk, Gulf.”

_“What are you doing, Poom,”_

“Listen to me, you have to take responsibility for me.”

“What for? You literally the one who break things off from us, what do you wanted from me now?” He frowned and avoided to look at his ex.

“Ai’Gulf, look at me,” Poom insisted and nagged at him. “You were the one who caused me not being able to have a career in entertainment industry.”

Gulf turned to her in annoyance as she continue, “You have to take responsibility. It’s because of you that smeared my good reputation, that all of the agencies were rejecting me on auditions.”

“See? They only think of you when they were seeing my name on auditions. _‘Oh, that was Gulf Kanawut’s girlfriend before he met the Crown Prince'_ The casting people literally could only think of me like that, and the people who applying for the casting were talking about me behind my back upon my appearances... _Do you know how I feel about that?”_

_“What do you want, Ai’Poom,”_

“Could you detached your name from people’s first impression at me, Ai’Gulf? You can’t, right? So you have to take responsibility of me.”

“So do you want money from me?”

“Oh, no, no, no, I’m not that low. I’m not here to accepting your previous offer to be your _fucking_ consort, either. I want you to take the responsibility of my life because I would probably couldn’t apply of any jobs because of your _fucking_ existence.” She snapped and pushed him slightly with her forefinger. “From what I see, probably people will protest again and there will be another coup, isn’t it? Because of the Palace’s endless scandals?”

Poompui only snorted when he saw Gulf’s frowned eyebrows, “The monarch probably would be end soon, Ai’Gulf, and so is your _stupid, useless, arranged marriage_ that ruined my life. So, I have to take you down together with me, since the Crown Prince probably wouldn’t need to maintain this stupid marriage once he got caught — ,”

_“Poompui, watch your mouth,”_

“ _Oooh_ , so our little Gulfie already being protective with the Crown Prince?” She mocked him and stand up after she noticed that the Crown Prince already finished making his speech and walking closely to their reserved seat.

_“Your Highness,”_ She Wai the Crown Prince and said with a sickeningly sweet voice that makes Gulf wanted to threw up, _“Please take care of Gulf while I am away.”_ She smiled sweetly to the Crown Prince and walking back to her cheerleading team’s seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I have to put disclaimer that none of these family tragedy and scandals were happened in the real monarch of Thai. I am deeply sorry for the usage of real King and Queen's name in the story, but some of the historical facts were true (you could research it on your own through the internet or books). Thank you for your kind understanding.


	6. The truth.

“Your Highness, are you okay?” Khun Suppapong softly touch his arm because he’s been calling the prince for a couple of minutes now but he still haven’t moved from his reverie. “Ah yes, I’m sorry, Khun Phi, I will be finishing this essay in a sec,” He gives the other a tight smile before he busy writing his answer for the essay that the teacher gave him earlier for their weekly review for history lesson.

Khun Suppapong only silently inspecting the other’s odd behaviour. That was why the moment Gulf finally finish writing the essay and they finally finishing the lesson of the day, the young teacher finally asked him, “What is wrong with you, Your Highness? You haven’t been focusing at all for the past week.” He said that with worrying face.

Gulf biting his lower lip before he looked up to Khun Suppapong, _“It’s just that—”_

“Is there something wrong with the Crown Prince, Your Highness? I thought everything went well...”

Gulf then think back to the moment after they went from the opening ceremony of the Chula–Thammasat Traditional Football Match last week. After the appearance of his ex, it was very unfortunate that the Crown Prince had to directly went to the airport because he needed to go to Myanmar to attend ASEAN Conference that was held there for a week. And Gulf think it would be better to discussed the matter in person rather than through the phone. Now that it’s been a week and the Crown Prince haven’t come home yet... Gulf just afraid that everything that he already worked hard for for the past few months were gone because the appearance of Poom. To think that he had to went through the cold side of the Crown Prince again.... _sigh_.

“Your Highness?” Khun Suppapong tried again and Gulf just sighed softly before he finally give in to his teacher, “There was something happening, Khun Phi... and before I could explained anything to the Crown Prince, I barely have time because he had business meeting to attend to overseas...”

Khun Suppapong just hummed silently and after giving it some thoughts he finally speak, “Honestly, Your Highness, problems between partners in relationship and marriage is totally normal. Tonight the Crown Prince will be coming home, right? If you could explain it well, I think nothing would come as a problem?” He raised his eyebrows as if it was something simple, which frustrated Gulf even more because to him, it was far from simple.

“I don’t think it would be easy if it involved with my ex, Khun Phi...” He sighed dejectedly and finally laid down his actual problem to the others.

“Well... this ex of yours, Your Highness. Do you still have feelings for them?”

“I don’t know... perhaps rather than some leftover feelings it would be like... regret and guilt...?” He bite his lips again in worry, “Like, it’s probably my fault that I ruined her future.”

“How about your own feelings to the Crown Prince, Your Highness?”

_“I—,”_

Khun Suppapong just sighed and smiled understandingly at the Prince because he knew that the young Prince was still practically a mess inside. He haven’t sorted out his own feelings yet.

“I only could give you regarding my opinion from outsider’s point of view, Your Highness... Well, I personally think that you had to sorted put your own feelings first and told the Crown Prince of how you are feeling for him and if you still have unresolved issues with your ex... There will be some consequences for any of your choices afterwards for sure. Nevertheless, problems will come and goes, Your Highness. The most important thing is that you have to decide what is your own choice according to your heart, Your Highness, what’s works the best for you...,” He patiently look at Gulf’s eyes and continue, _“And most importantly, you have to be honest to the Crown Prince, Your Highness.”_

Gulf just nodded helplessly at the teacher, hoping that whatever would happened tonight would not ruined anything.

When the Palace’s black limousine arrived at their residence, as everyone bowing and Wai the Crown Prince from his short business trip, Gulf was also doing the same, which the Crown Prince reply with short Wai to them and he directly went to his own residence, probably didn’t realized that his spouse were there because it’s already dark in the night and the tall man was probably already tired from the work and flight, but Gulf couldn’t help but to think that the Crown Prince ignoring him because of last week’s incident. With his own resolve to clear all of the misunderstanding tonight, Gulf quietly pulling the tail of the Crown Prince’s dark blazer, which immediately stopped his track and take a look at his behind.

“Ah, what’s wrong, Gulf?”

_“I—,”_ The younger one shakily released his breath, “Your Highness, were you mad at me?”

“What?” He asked confusedly.

“You must be mad at me.” The younger one suddenly make the question into a statement on his own. He looked at his own feet and slowly breaking down, and all of the Palace’s staffs and chauffeur that were still following them behind to take care of the Prince’s baggages stunned and awkwardly move away from the Crown Prince’s residence to leave him with his spouse alone.

Seeing the younger slowly nearing in the bridge of his tears, the Crown Prince was pulling him into his room, “What’s wrong, Gulf?” He asked patiently.

“You must be really mad at me, right, Phi?” He avoiding to take a look at the Prince’s eyes, choosing to focusing on his tangled hand on his lap.

_“Huh?”_

“Please don’t leave me, Phi?” He finally looked up to see at Mew’s eyes before he finally break down and crying, which only confused the Crown Prince even more. Seeing his spouse that was crying to his heart, he gently erased his tears and give butterfly kisses to his eyes so that the younger one would stop crying. After he patiently waiting for the younger one to stopped crying and asked for his explanation, he get even more confused when the younger one asked him again not to leave him and buried his head to Mew’s shoulder. _“Don’t leave me, please, Phi...”_

Mew then gently pushed his shoulder back so they could see each other eyes to eyes, “Explain everything to me, please? What is wrong with you, Gulf?”

Gulf bite his lip hesitantly, “About last Saturday, Phi... The day where we meet my ex-girlfriend...”

Mew just raised his eyebrows tiredly, “ _Ah, that_. Here, here, take a seat.” He waited for the younger one to take a seat at the sofa near his table before he take a seat as well. “Listen to me, I’m sorry, it’s not that I take your problem lightly, it’s just... a lot has been happening I could barely take a breath, especially with the conference and all...” He patted the younger’s shoulder in assurance. “So, do you want to talk about it? If you asked me, I personally will ask you back, Gulf. _What do you want?_ I don’t want to force you to do anything.”

“I still want to stay here, Phi...”

”Are you sure about that? I’ve already told you from the start, right? If you feel like you have to take responsibility of your girlfriend, you could always take her as your consort. That option is still laid open if want to take it—“

_“But, I don’t want it, Phi.”_ He frowned disappointedly, feeling like the others just laid out rejecting him.

“Listen, Gulf, what happened between us, was something arranged by the Palace. I only asked you to do the marriage ceremonially. I mean— I’ve never demand you to harbour any feelings for me. Therefore, you can always choose anything that would be suitable for your own. _Anything that you want to do_ ,” The older one tried to explained to him patiently.

_“So, you think there’s absolutely nothing between us, Phi?”_ He asked dejectedly, with broken voice, feeling as if he was rejected once more.

_“I—,”_

_“What if I want you, Phi?”_ Gulf moved forward to close the gap with the Crown Prince, which only make the other leaned back.

“Gulf, I give you the options—,”

_“What if I choose you, Phi?”_

Mew only gulped silently when the younger one leaned forwards and closed the proximity between them with a kiss, so deep that it leaves the older one breathless afterwards. As the younger one fluttered his eyes at him, therelong goes the Crown Prince’s will to take everything slow between them.

It’s not often that Jom and Tul will be joining the Crown Prince and him for attending an event. Gulf always found a fresh air whenever they joining them because Jom was always being her bubbliest self whenever she was with brother in law, and Gulf could avoiding talking to the important people and VIPs because she loved to kidnapped Gulf for herself so she could talk about this and that. Being such an introvert and always prefer with familiar people himself, of course Gulf always let her to take him wherever she goes, and now they are sitting on their reserved table at one of the prestigious 5-star hotel in the nation. Today they were attending another auction event for donation, and usually it would take the whole night. While the Crown Prince, wearing his navy blue silk satin shirt under a branded black fit-body blazer with his hair styled with wax and the Chief of Staff to the King, already looking good with his usual attire, were having conversation with the Board of Directors of the oil company that was holding this event, Jom whispering something to him, “You see how messed up the Palace rumours that was blasted out a while ago didn’t dither all of these important people, right? That’s how politic works. They were acting as if nothing was happening, but we would never know how bad they will talking about us behind our back.” She folded her arm while watching her brother and Tul that was still talking about something with the Board of Directors.

“We’re so lucky that P’Mew and P’Tul were really good at handling any kind of situation and charming people and public’s eyes, so that people would still put their trust on them. Well, they were really good at talking and they were freaking smart to begin with, though. So,it comes to no surprise that they practically born for this field. As for me... there is no way that I would be strong enough to be front liners in politic. Attending a few events were okay, but having to be in this kind of environment every single seconds of my life?” She shook her head and leaned her back at her seat, she sipped a glass of wine before she continue, “I don’t think that it’s for me. I’m eternally grateful that our parents never pushed us to pursue specific career in our life. I am glad that my parents’ never find a need to close my bakery and cake shop business when we’re back at the Palace. Well, maybe I have to give up my career for being a flight attendant, but for me personally, I am pretty pleased with my life as for now. Though, maybe I will found myself to be attending political events more often should my husband later pursue a political career.”

Gulf just nodded while hearing his pretty sister-in-law that currently wearing a pretty sleeveless red wine dress with a defined waistline talking about her views in politics. “Hmm, P’Jom, I’m sorry if I asked you a very personal question, but do you have a very close friend like P’Mew to P’Tul? I rarely seeing you with your friends.” He asked curiously, which only makes the pretty girl laughed lightly.

“Of course, I do! However, mostly my closest friends were still a part of the Royal family, still my cousins, mostly,” She nodded slightly while her eyes wandering a far as if she’s thinking back to her childhood. “Honestly speaking I’m pretty amazed that my brother could be friends — _like, this close_ — with P’Tul that comes from regular family, though his family was still privileged enough the send their son to the States. Well, don’t get me wrong, it’s not that we’re far too proud of ourselves or something — _it’s just_... for me personally, it’s hard to build a close friendship with commoners. It’s not that we don’t want to be close to them or something, they sometimes also build a wall against us, as if we’re from different world and they could barely keep up with us. _Like_ — they don’t want to have the burden to be involved with us, to be close with us. Therefore, we’re usually could only been classmates or acquaintance at maximum.”

Seeing his Gulf only nodded understandingly, the Crown Princess continue, “Well, I guess Tul also blessed with his social skills from early age. He was best friend with P’Tay first before P’Tay introduce him to P’Mew because they went to the same university in States afterwards.”

“Oh, I see, P’Jom,” He nodded while he took a sip of his wine as well. He didn’t notice that Tul already walking to their table and took a seat beside P’Jom.

“What are you guys talking about?” He gulped down water that was served on his seat.

“About how do you meet P’Mew and basically attached to the hip to this day, Phi,” P’Jom took a side glance at him, smiling.

“Oh, you’re curious about P’Mew on his younger age, Gulf? What do you want to know about? His exes? His type?” He then fake a hurt when P’Jom hit him with her elbow playfully. _“Don’t you dare talking bad about my brother!”_

“What a great sister that you are, Jom,” Tul snickered towards her. “Well, seriously, what are you curious about, Gulf? I could probably spill you a thing or two for you,” He raised his eyebrow playfully to Gulf.

Which only makes the youngest one in the table shakes his head politely, “It’s okay, P’Tul.”

“You’re no fun, nong Gulf!” He leaned back to his seat and asked another question, “How is the marriage so far? Is P’Mew being nice to you?”

Gulf just nodded his head shyly.

“Wow, you’re definitely a tough one to break his wall... He’s probably frustrated you the first time you met him, right? I seriously pity you that you have to handle the media on your own after you first being announced to the public as his fiancée... he should’ve protect you from those media as your fiancée, am I right?”

Gulf just gulped nervously as he remembering those times, “It’s okay, P’Tul. There is no way that P’Mew could protect me at all time... I should be learning to face the media or any problems at that matter on my own. The Palace’s staff guard also help me and my family during those time also, so, really. It doesn’t really matter.” Tul nodded understandingly at him.

P’Jom just rolled her eyes at P’Tul, “I already taught him how to handle the press, you see. Don’t talk bad about my brother like that,” She frowned. “Anyway, where is P’Mew? Why you left him alone?”

“He need to make a speech before the event started, so he was asked by the staff to be prepared near the stage,” The older one said while the MC of the event announced that the event will be starting soon. “Ah, there he is.” Gulf take a look at the Crown Prince that already waiting to make his speech near the stage, dazzling as always. After he move his gaze from his spouse, he accidentally see a glance of hatred from the eyes of the person that he already get suspicious at before everything went back as per usual as if nothing was happening. And that was only happened within a short second.

Gulf just gulping down his glass of wine to drink down his nervousness towards his own instinct.

_How he will acted towards this, how he makes people would believe on him, is the question._

Right after he finished his lesson with Khun Suppapong and they were walking to the Palace’s library to check on some books recommendation from the teacher, Gulf never expect that he would meet the person that caused the cold war in the entire Dusit Palace. He awkwardly nodded his head and Wai the tall prince, third cousin of his spouse, while the other also seems surprised their sudden encounter and Wai him as well. Gulf couldn’t refused when the other asked him to have a tea with him because Khun Suppapong told him that, _‘It’s okay, Your Highness, I could get the book for you.’_ Which leads him to be sitting together in awkward silence with the Crown Prince’s far cousin at his family’s residence in the northern part of the Dusit Palace.

“How are you, Your Highness. Are you already getting used to the Palace life?” Prince Tay asked him politely even if he was obviously older than him. “Please, have a tea.”

“I’m getting used to it just fine, thank you for asking, Your Highness.” He smiled politely and took his tea.

“It’s a pity that we've never talk in person before, we only meet each other briefly through the preparation of the Coronation Ceremony and your wedding.”

“I’m eternally grateful for your kindness to help us at both events, Your Highness.”

“Really, it’s my pleasure. I’ve always wanted to help with every steps of Mew’s life achievement. He already been through a lot in the past. What he had right now, outside the scandals, are really what he deserved, even if he always feel burdened around it.”

The younger one just nodded silently while sipping his tea before the older one continue.

“We’ve always supporting each other a lot you see, he’s been by closest friends and cousins that we’re practically brother from another mother... It’s just heartbreaking that at the end of the day he choose not to believe me and my family.”

“I’m not even mad at being rumoured as the one who break the scandal, Gulf. The thing that breaks my heart is the fact that he believe that my family were the one behind the scandals... I’ve never asked him back for everything that I’ve done for him and Tul for their coup... for their party...” He sighed dejectedly, helplessly, almost like asking Gulf to help him to gain back Mew’s trust on him.

“I’ve already live on this Palace, with this monarch life all my life. I’ve seen all of the possible betrayal and hatred that comes within the family though we tied by blood. But do I want to followed through its darkest path? _Never._ Call me naive, but that was the one link that could make me close with Mew. We’ve never have the hunger for the throne, money, and fame. I only want to live peacefully, that was why I always support Mew and his dad for their beliefs and their movements. _Therefore, why would I stabbed him in the back like that? What is the benefit that I could take?_ By doing that, I only ruined the monarch, ruined my own family. What kind of society that wanted to have a messed up monarch to lead them? _No one would_. And Mew always knew this part about me, about my dad... That was why I’m more disappointed for him not trusting me instead of being in the rumours itself.” The older one show sighed heavily with helpless face.

Hearing the Prince’s confession with the whole situation, Gulf could only bite his lips hesitantly. _If his own theory were true..._

_“Your Highness, if I may asked you, how do you know P’Tul?”_

If all of his theory was true, the one that actually leaked all of the scandals was the Crown Prince’s right hand himself, the Chief of Staff to the Crown King, Tul Pakorn. However, from the stories about P’Tul from the Crown Prince, Crown Princess, and Prince Tay from their college years, since they already knowing P’Tul for years... Gulf was sure that P’Tul didn’t do it for the sake of taking the throne himself, or just because he was tired that he always be the second one to P’Mew... He must be doing it because of much deeper reason that Gulf only could guess, because it was never written in news, national’s records, nor history.

Anything that P’Tul did to break the monarch must be related to the King Rama IX’s Director of Communication at his younger years. Gulf found that his sudden death was indeed really odd. Everyone who heard about that must be found that it rather odd, just like what Khun Suppapong explained to him, since he’s one of the healthiest person amongst all of the Palace’s staffs, and to think that he passed away so suddenly... right after her daughter gave birth his first grandchild... and that grandchild must be P’Tul. Because the trusted staff of the King Rama IX’s is exact carbon copy to the Crown Prince’s right hand. They were looked alike each other so much they basically twins from different era. Prince Tay also told him that he knew P’Tul when he took Royal School in Chiangmai, and apparently it’s not easy to enter that school, Gulf researched. You couldn’t apply to the school unless you were having connection to the Palace no matter how rich your family were. Therefore, somehow even though P’Tul was not a part of the monarch, his family was indeed having a connection and privilege from the Palace. Which is very suitable to Gulf’s first theory.

And to think that his grandfather served for the King for more or less 11-12 years and knowing that he was one of the King’s trusted person... Gulf could only imagine if the monarch also have another dark secret after scandals upon scandals.

Nevertheless, Gulf was definitely confused on how to testify his theory... since he’s only a new member of the monarch, why would everyone believe him over someone that already being with them for years? Also, he’s totally afraid that the Crown Prince would be even more broken knowing that his most trusted person was the one behind all of these. _After being endlessly tired over having to face over endless scandals upon scandals and accusing his own trusted cousins for being the cause behind all of the scandals...._

“How is the progress of the revival of Chantaboon Waterfront Community, Khun Phi?”

Chanthaboon Waterfront Community is an ancient waterfront community in the heart of Mueang Chanthaburi District, Chanthaburi Province in eastern Thailand. It was sometimes also written as Chantaboon Waterfront Community. Today was one of those rare days where Gulf had to join the Crown Prince as well as the Chief of Staff of the Crown King to inspect the revival of the waterfront as a major destination for cultural tourism since it used to be an essential transportation and trade hub of the district. In the recent decade, the locals with the help of Thai officials have contributed to help its revival, therefore hopefully it could be open to the public near in the future.

The traditional community dates back to King Narai the Great's reign of Ayutthaya Kingdom, regarded as the first community of Chanthaburi. The ancestors of this community people are three ethnic group, consist Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese. It was regarded as the center of the province and was a trading and travel destination for the eastern region. At present, it is another cultural attraction of Chanthaburi. There are many old buildings in Sino-Portuguese and Gingerbread styles lined up on one km long pedestrian street along the Chanthaburi River.

Chanthaboon Waterfront Community situated along the Chanthaburi River, opposite the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, a historic building and recognized as the most beautiful Catholic church in Thailand. A Chinese temple by name 'Chao Mae Kuan Im' is a prominent landmark inside the Chantaboon Waterfront Community. Also, notable is the Chanthaburi Gemstone market that is ancient and is nearby. The entire length of the street is lined with restaurants, sweet shops, antique shophouses, cafés, traditional drug store, joss houses as well as guest houses.

When Gulf closely inspecting some walls are lathered with chic graffiti in form of photo spot for visitors, and hear the Crown Prince having a serious and in depth conversation regarding the waterfront with the local government, he awkwardly having a short chit chat behind with the Crown Prince’s long time best friend.

It was even more awkward when the Crown Prince needed to check some document with the Chanthaburi Governor and they asked them to wait at the VIP waiting room instead, and they were served with the city’s specialty, Khanom khuai ling, a type of dessert that was made from glutinous rice flour, mixed with sugar, black sesame seeds and sprinkled with shredded coconut. It was produced and sold only in the area of Mueang Chanthaburi District, an ancient community that was a center of many local foods and rare Thai desserts, located along the Khlong Nong Bua near Chanthaburi River.

It was really killing Gulf inside, the way the always preppy Tul Pakorn always acted like nothing was happening and as if the day was always bright and sunny and there will be no thunderstorm ahead. Therefore, after an odd silence for a couple of minutes while both of them drink their reserved coffee, Gulf decided to take a heavy breath and asked the thing that always bothering his mind for a couple of weeks now.

_“P’Tul... when will you stopped acting like everything is normal?”_

The older looked up to him from his cup of coffee confusedly, “Gulf? What do you mean?”

“When will you tell P’Mew the truth, Phi? Or you only planned to watch him drowning on his own from a far while your plan worked successfully?”

“Seriously, though, Gulf,” The older one started to laughed rather manically, “What is your talking about?”

The younger one finally took out the black and white photo that he already copied from the Palace’s historical data that he found from the library a while ago and pushed it slowly at the table. It’s been weeks since he always bring it with him and folded it neatly on his wallet, and no matter how he already dragged the time and find the ‘right moment’ to finally laid out this photo, it never lessen the cold atmosphere that following it through. Tul’s changed of expression in a sudden and his paled face are enough proof to the younger one that his theory was indeed true.

After a long beat of silence and neither of them speak, Gulf finally decided to asked once more to the older one, “If I’m not wrong... you do actually related by blood to King Rama IX’s Director of Communication back then, right, P’Tul?”

“Where did you find it?” The older’s voice was way too calm for Gulf’s liking, though his slightly shaken face was betraying his composure.

“When I was learning about the historical lesson of the monarch, Phi.”

Tul just raised his eyebrows rather amusedly, _“Well, who knows if learning those things would be beneficial for you...”_ He chuckled darkly. “So, what kind of theory that you have in mind?”

“Please don’t take me as a fool, Phi. Of course that it’s about the fact that you’re the one behind all of the leaked scandals.”

“That’s all?”

_“And that you practically throwing Prince Tay under the fire. And you probably doing that... because of the King Rama IX’s trusted stuff... that I’m guessing is your grandfather...”_

The other just wickedly laughed at him. As he stand up and tidy up his all black attire, he calmly speak as he leaned back to the wall, _“Who would’ve thought that commoners that randomly got into arranged marriage with the Crown Prince is this smart?”_

The younger one just gulped silently and kept his silence because the whole atmosphere was way too intimidating to him, it literally give him chills at the nape of his neck.

_“So, how do you know that P’Mew will believe in you more than me that already being good friends with him for almost a decade?”_ He asked with a confident smirk.

Gulf just held his breath, clearly feeling intimidated, until he realized that his spouse already leaned back to the door of the waiting room for a while now. He looks way too calm for Gulf, it literally breaks his heart, because he knows how the whole situation broke the Crown Prince inside. The so-called best friend of the Crown Prince following Gulf’s trace of gaze until he realized that the Crown Prince already watching them from God knows when.

_“How do you feel, Phi? Knowing that your most trusted person, the one who literally beside you for all these time, is the one that betraying you, who break you from all side possible?”_ P’Tul asked him rather calmly. Not a trace of guilt in his voice.

“Honestly speaking, after you told me that it’s Tay that was behind all of the scandal... I’ve stopped believed in anyone, Tul,” The older sighed tiredly. “So, I felt disappointed but not surprised with the turned of events, really.”

The Crown Prince then take a seat at one of the couch in the VIP waiting room, “The thing that I’m really curious is... _Why, Tul? Why you have the heart to do all of these? Am I ever doing something wrong to you?_ I feel like — during the time that we all being friends, I feel like we don’t have problems and resentment towards each other?”

“It was never your fault, Phi. The real problem is the monarch itself. That was why when I support you for all of the political democrative views, for the coup... I was never lying about that part. I wholeheartedly support you because I wanted to dissolved the whole monarch system as a whole. Do you know how I felt to know the fact that my grandfather being murdered by your own grandfather, _the His Majesty King Rama IX_ —,” He said the previous’s King name with mocking voice before he continue, _“Do you know how I feel to never get to meet the grand father that I respected so much, Phi? And the fact that he got murdered because he knows too much of the King’s darkest secret that we’ve never known about...”_ He laughed ironically with tired and cracking voice.

“I hate the monarch’s existence too much that I basically didn’t care of what path that I would take in order to breaking it apart. _If it's required a blood bath, then so be it_... I am sure that all of these years they already taking away a lot of innocent people’s life to fit their own agenda...” Tul’s eyes filled with anger tears that must be hidden for God knows how long.

Mew just watching his best friend sadly. “You know that I've never like the whole monarch system as well, Tul. _You_ , out of all people _knew_ that I get kicked out from the Palace by my own grandfather,” The Crown Prince released a shaky breath. “Still, I am very disappointed with the way you planned the whole thing — to break everything a part. _Do you think I’m a joke to you? The whole time we’ve been friends from college days? It was all based on your hatred for the kingdom? It was all just lies between you, me, and Tay?”_

Gulf could see how the Crown Prince trying hard not to break down right at that moment. The older one suddenly pulled his arm and take him away from the VIP room, and asked the chauffeur to directly go to the airport as he told the driver that he needed to take the earliest flight back to Bangkok.

While they were waiting for their flight back, Gulf worriedly watching the older one really close to breaking down, nevertheless he knew that he needed to keep his calm composure in public, it really breaks Gulf’s heart. _Well, what could he expect?_ After all this time... it was his most trusted person that thoroughly broke his trust. As he watched how the older one closed both of his eyes while maintaining his breath, Gulf silently reaching out to held his spouse’s hand.

_I’m here for you, Phi. You’re not alone at this._


	7. Then, until here.

It has been a couple of hours since they were sitting at a famous chain coffee shop that was connected with curated bookstore in the middle of Shibuya’s busy counter-section. The Crown Prince’s hot long black coffee already gone beyond lukewarm temperature whilst the younger’s seasonal cold beverage already gone long ago, even if he never been a fan of sweetened drink himself. But he also not a fan of coffee either, so he didn’t really have much choices to begin with.

It was literally the first time he went overseas and he never expected that he would be using his passport for the first time just to accompanying his spouse silently watching dots of people walking through the intersection. When he started to dozed off because they took the earliest flight and he didn’t have too much time to prepare for the impromptu trip — _like, literally impromptu_. His husband woke him up before all of the Palace’s staffs woken up and he bribed the security so he could drive to the airport by himself, and Gulf just found out that they will be going to Tokyo for some reason at the airport. Blessed the royal family’s passport that would never need to went through travel bureaucracy and visas. Should he still have a public passport, this could never be happening.

Just when Gulf trying hard to hold his yawn but failing miserably because he didn’t have enough sleep from last night, the older one chuckled lightly and softly caressed his hair and leaned it down to the older one’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry that I asked you to following me here from early in the morning without any explanation,”

“It’s alright, Phi, I understand,” He snuggled his head further on his spouse’s shoulder, watching the sky slowly getting darker outside the window. “But, why the need to go this far, Phi?”

The older one hummed slightly “Most of people usually need to be in peaceful and calm place like say, in nature, beach, or mountain to ease their mind, right? Well, I’m an odd one, since I prefer to be in a busy place, being in the middle of busy street like this, watching people went through their life... odd enough, I found it to be relaxing. Probably because it’s in one of my favorite city, because it’s far from our country where I literally couldn’t afford to have alone time to ponder like this, but most of all, sometimes I feel like I’m not alone at this?” He stretched his left hand to trace the small dots of people through the window. “Everyone, every single person in the world, must have their own burden and baggage, but they always overcome through every problems, though it won’t end as long as we still life in this world... because problems is a part of our life... that makes us human...”

Gulf raised his head to see the handsome prince beside him, “But you got a whole different level of burden, Phi. No one in this world deserved to be betrayed over and over again.”

“No one, indeed,” The older one locked his eyes with his spouse. “However, I also got the privilege that more than 95% of the people in the world would never got at their entire life. Nevertheless, I guess life work that way. You have to sacrifice something in order to get something.”

“Isn’t it sad, Phi?” He stares at his own reflection on his Phi’s dark brown eyes sadly.

“Well, you also feel that way, right? You have to lose your own privacy, your own freedom in order to have a place in the Palace.” The older one swept through his bangs, which the younger reply with hesitant nod.

“Do you want to have it back? Your freedom?” The Crown Prince move his gaze from the younger one’s hair to his eyes.

“What do you mean, Phi?”

“Well, _maybe_ you could have it back soon... if you want it.”

“Will it require another sacrifices, Phi?” Gulf frowned deeply, afraid to what will come in the future. The older one just sighed sadly and put Gulf’s head back on top of his shoulder. “Let me enjoy the last moment of my serenity before we will be back to Bangkok, okay?”

After the sun went down they took the JR line to the Haneda airport, and Gulf couldn’t help in awe with the Crown Prince that move through the difficult and multiple platforms of the underground subway train with ease. First, he didn’t think that as a royals he took public transportation this much to the point where he could take it without checking the maps at all, and second, just how much he comes to this particular city so that he really move without any trouble here despite the language barrier?

“Why do you look at me like that?” Wearing unusually casual attire today, with oversized shirt over white t-shirt and simple ripped denim that he never thought the Crown Prince would own in his wardrobe, he asked the younger one while they were waiting for the airport train.

“Nothing, Phi. It’s just— I’ve never imagine that I would be seeing you taking public transportation like this,” Gulf said what’s been in his mind out loud, “Maybe, should I meet you in different setting or time, I would never think that it’s you, given that you wore unusually casual clothing and all, I would probably think that it’s just someone that looks very look alike with you.” Which of course replied with snorted by the older one.

“Contrary to popular beliefs, I do take a lot of public transport. Well, not so much for the last 5 years or so because in Bangkok the BTS line and the bus’s routes still only focusing on the center part of the city whilst my family lives in the outer skirt of the city, therefore I prefer to drive on my own. Nevertheless, during my college days, of course I took a lot of public transport.” The older one tidy up his hair under the soft pink beanie that he wore, which Gulf unconsciously help by reaching out his hand at the other’s bangs.

“But, still, I’ve never thought that you have these kind of clothing in your wardrobe, Phi.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” He shrugged lightly, while the subway jingle sounds, where they notified that the next train would come shortly being heard. He linked his hand with the younger one so they could catch the train before the door being closed.

“Well, aside of using public transport for the sake of the needs of moving from one place to other places, I think it’s a good comparison to learn what should we improve at our own country. If we never took the public transport on our own, how we could judge where our country were lacking? How we could improve it? Well, something like that.”

“Huh, I’ve never thought about it that way, Phi.”

“It’s okay, it was never being your job to begin with, though,” He ruffled the younger’s hair. “Maybe the environment where I was growing up affected my point of view regarding those things. And the fact that I also interested with government and political issue from younger age...”

“The way I could never relate with your younger self, Phi, my brain literally filled with soccer match and Chelsea as a young boy.”

The older one just chuckled amusedly at the younger one, “It’s okay, everyone born with different interest, won’t it be boring if little children only think about politic issue like me? Isn’t it me that was being an odd one? Most of the boys were playing soccer or basketball at their younger age.”

When he heard the younger one hummed, Mew continue to speak, “Well, as for me, my interest in political issue slowly growing when my family being kicked out from the Palace, from my teenage years, I think, when I was still at high school. Maybe some part of me never accept the fact that my father being removed from the Monarch just like that — maybe it was started because I want to find justice for my father...” He pondered.

“Well, that being said, ever since that moment, I was always take a multiple views on everything. I’ve never thought that going to overseas or other city as a mere ‘vacation’, I took it as taking an experience...? Like, how they could build a city this modern in New York? Why European countries were heavily cultured? Why Japanese and Korean exceeding at public transportations rather than other countries? Since I have the privilege to go to overseas multiple times, I’ve learn to see those countries more than its ‘beautiful’ outer shell.”

“Woah, Phi. The way your mind always work hard even on your vacation.”

“What? Do you think I couldn’t having fun at my free time?” He ruffled the younger one’s hair again and leaned down to the empty seat in front of them. “It’s just that I have never ending work for the past 2 years. Even I had to runaway today to have time for myself, or else I would still had to work even if it’s weekend — _even if yesterday my life was practically a mess_ ,” He laughed sadly.

“I’m sorry, Phi...,” Gulf reached out to link his hand together with the Crown Prince.

“Hey, it’s me who should’ve said sorry. Sorry that I had to kidnap you today to accompany me,” Mew pulled up their linked hand and kissed Gulf’s back of hand softly. _“Sorry that you have to experience such a first date like this.”_

“So, it counts as a first date, huh?” The younger one turned slightly smug, which only amused Mew because he started to show his cheeky side like this.

“So, you don’t want to counted it as our first date?” Mew raised his left eyebrow amusedly.

Gulf pretended to think it for a couple of second, “Let me think over it before we landed on Bangkok." Which only makes Mew laughed again and ruffled his hair for the last time.

To face a chaotic weeks in the Palace were to be expected, and Mew was trying hard to keep it low by only letting it be known exclusively to his family’s inner circle in the Palace and the government office. It will be better if they tidying up silently rather than to spread it around to the public that would possibly create a bigger mess that they need to resolve afterwards. However, it certainly not easy to break out the truth to his family, particularly his father, since Tul was his trusted Chief-of-Staff ever since he appointed as the Crown King. And to reconcile with Tay’s family.... It was even a greater mess that both son needed to calm down the entire Royal family situation for at least 2 weeks before they could accepted the reality.

After a long, hard, and thorough discussion within the whole Dusit Palace, finally they come to a conclusion that it would be better to let the rest of the public society decide wether they need to keep the Monarch system or not since their inner circle of the Dusit Palace, especially the Crown Prince, insisted that after all, the whole Monarch system was already way beyond toxic to the point where it was hard to erase the previous Kingdom’s dark past. And they think that it would be the best to let the public to vote wether they should continue the Monarch and ‘start fresh’ or change the whole government system to be a republic one.

Of course such decision shocked the entire nation, especially when the Crown King personally give a publicly apologize for the entire scandal through national television channel, and give the entire nation a choice to vote for the country’s future government and political system within a month. It was pretty controversial, indeed, but the Crown Prince and the King think that this is after all, the best choice that they could take. Honestly, giving a public apology for something that they may or may not do to the public weren’t the hardest one. The hardest thing for the Royal family, for both Jongcheveevat and Vihokratana families, were to give a heartful apologize to the Thanasrivanitchai family personally at their resident, for King Rama IX’s sin that never being recorded by any newspaper nor history books.

That was the reason why Mew choose not to break it to the public that Tul was the one behind all of these — because he knew that his grand father was at fault at this, and he knew that after all, deep down, despite all of the family drama, it will be much harder to find another person that have the same vision and mission to bring the entire nation to be a better country with a good government. If his grandmother’s, parent’s, and sister’s face were shocked at a presence of the Royal family that suddenly bow down at their residence in apology — Tul was beyond stunned and appalled. His only question was _“Why?”_ and the three best friends decided to talk it through for their own sake and sanity. They spent countless of canned beers, gin, and vodka because there was no way that they could talk it through without being drunk, or else there’s a possibility that they would punch each other until one of them was not being conscious. A few bruises and scratches through out their few days of talk things through were enough. They may not have a picture perfect friendship, _but alas, who does?_ For better or for worse, they already went through a lot, and this problem could only strengthen their friendship even further, even if it’s not ideal.

“But, Phi. You do know the consequences, right, if you want to let the public vote wether to continue the Monarch or start anew as republic country?” Tul asked Mew through an absurd concoction that Tay mixed for him at 3am. Forget all the works, they already took three day off for the sake of talking things through between them, and they would take another day off tomorrow since they never had a break since they started working for the Palace, anyway.

“Yes, Mew, will you be okay? Will Gulf be okay?” Tay asked through he drunkeness and sleepiness. God knows if he would remember what was he asking by tomorrow.

Mew just shrugged lightly, “Of course, I knew. _I don’t know,_ it was probably my best gift for him.” He sighed.

Tul patted his shoulder with worrying face, “I wish the outcome would be okay, Phi.” Before his eyes giving up and both him and Tay went unconscious and slept on the table in the living room of the Mew’s spare apartment in the middle of city.

The Crown Prince just chuckled tiredly, “This is why I don’t want to get married to begin with.” He then cover up both of his closest friends with blankets before he slept on the sofa bed near the table.

It comes to no surprise that the public will choose to give a reformation to the country as a republic one instead of preserve the Monarch system. However, since they need to have another preparation to have election for the first president of the country, with proper campaign and all, for the first 6 months of the campaign for the actual election, the Crown King would be the acting President, whereas the Prime Minister would be the acting Vice President. Though Mew prefer to be in the behind the scene team, rather than under the spotlight in the government, everyone voted for him as the acting Secretary of State, anyway. He already insisted that he never wanted to nominated himself as any of the position for the campaign since he still need a lot to learn and he still far too young to lead a country.

Within the next 6 months, the entire Palace also need to reformatted all of the buildings’ function and every Palace’s staffs position, wether they wanted to continue to work for the government in any of suitable positions, or find another work outside of the Palace and government. There’s also a possibility where they would turned some of the Palace building as tourism spot, or repurpose them to be governmental buildings where the important meetings or national events being held. There are a lot of discussions and decisions that should be made, sometimes Gulf wondered if 6 months are enough.

The thing that Gulf never expected was the fact that suddenly the current First Lady of the country — _really, it was confusing even for him with the changes of functional positions of the entire royal family_ — the fact that suddenly his mother-in-law asked for him, and he never even expected that he would be meeting his own mother together with the previous Queen Mother of the nation.

“Khun Mae....?” He confusedly asked her before his mother hugged him, it’s been months since they meet each other, right after the wedding, the Palace never really let him to visit his home often, and most of all, because he barely had enough time to rest, let alone to visit his family.

“Gulf, if you may, please sit down,” His mother-in-law asked him with a kind and understanding smile.

He awkwardly took a seat at one of the seat on the big table with traditional wood carving in the biggest building in Dusit Palace, the King’s residence. After seeing his son’s spouse sitting down, she cleared her throats and begin to speak. “As you may already know, Gulf, the public already choose to have a republican country rather than to preserve a Monarch system. And so... it has come in our views that we could annul the previous King Rama IX’s last will since we are no longer under a monarchy.”

When there are no response in the room, just a tick of the old classic clock being heard, the mother of Jongcheveevat family continue, “Since my son, Mew is no longer a Crown Prince, you can choose wether you want to cancel the whole marriage and have a separation with him or not, Gulf. Which is why I invite your mother here. So, that both of you could discuss it together. And as a representation of the Jongcheveevat family, I will explain to you that you will have a reserved of divorce settlements, and most important of all, something that you could never have should you still be in the royal family — _your freedom to choose your own future.”_

Gulf just stunned while he was hearing all of the things that his mother in law said. His heart alread dropped the first time the Queen Mother told him the words ' _cancel the marriage'_ and even more broken while he heard the word _'divorce'_. His head was practically a mess when his mother-in-law left him and his mother to discuss things over, and that she said that it will be better to think the whole things over since he had 6 months at maximum to decide the whole thing over. They even will let him go if he wanted to ended the whole thing earlier.

“It’s hard to live in the Palace, right, my son? Please come home, I miss you so much,” His mother hugged him tearfully while he also wanted to cry for multiple different things.

_Yes, he miss his family so much, but —_

_Does he wanted to have his private life back, outside the whole media attention and all?_

_What is his dream again?_

_Will he ended up working at his dream company after he being graduated from his university by the end of the year?_

_However —_

_What about the promises of their first date?_

_The promises to go back to his favorite city?_

_Will he be okay being alone?_

_Will he get to meet a much better partner than him afterwards?_

Khun Mae gently erased his tears off, a tear he never realized had dropped, and she asked her only son to stopped crying, saying that, _"It will be over soon, my son, it will be over soon."_

Gulf honestly didn’t know the direction of his mind that afterwards, therefore he choose to be alone at the Palace’s library, never expected that he would stumbled upon Khun Suppapong there.

“Your Highness, what’s wrong?” He asked gently.

Seeing that Gulf avoided to talk things with him, they just have a chat in the library. The teacher told him that he would accept the government’s offer to be a historical teacher at one of national respected university, and he might give table manner’s lesson should he need extra money sometimes during his free time.

“I also want to continue my education to master degree, Your Highness. However, I might have to have a few discussion first with my parents.”

He knew that he has similar age with the teacher, yet he amazed by how he other one already decide for their future so ambitious, until this point.

“How do you decide for your future that easy, Khun Suppapong?” He finally voiced out his thoughts in rough voice after letting the younger one blabbered his thoughts.

The teacher smiled calmly before he replied, “It certainly not that easy, Your Highness. However — all my life, as a Palace’s staff... I’ve always have my future to be written down in details ever since the day I was born. That I should continue my parent’s path to be an etiquette teacher, that I should served my whole life to the Palace... Therefore to have a choice to let myself choose my own future... It’s such a breath of a fresh air, Your Highness. It’s very exciting to live the way I’ve always wanted to live since I’ve never had such freedom.”

Gulf smiled upon hearing the hopeful voice of the younger one. “I’m very happy to see you living your freedom, Khun Suppapong.”

“Thank you so much, Your Highness.” He smiled back. “Now that I have to live in the normal public society, I think I have to set my nickname since sometimes it’s hard and very bothersome for people to call me _‘Khun Suppapong’_ ”He gave a thoughtful act which only made Gulf chuckled at him.

“But, please, Your Highness, as your — _possibly_ — your closest one in the Palace...” He suddenly held both of Gulf’s hands in reassuring way, “I wish, any of decisions that you would take, would make you happy.” Which only Gulf could reply with a sad smile.

When he finally could meet the previously Crowned Prince after being avoided by him for more than a week, he straightforwardly asking the two things that he wanted to asked the older one ever since his mother-in-law dropped the bomb.

_“Why you were not there when she told me about the divorce, Phi? And why would you avoided me?”_

The older one just calmly, trying to resonate with him, “Gulf...”

“Don’t, _‘Gulf’_ me, Phi.”

Mew just sighed heavily before he took a seat at his living room at his residence at the Dusit Palace. “I don’t want my presence cloud your judgement over your own future, Gulf.”

“And why would you be the one that decide about that, Phi? It’s my future that we’re talking about here,” He snapped at the older one.

Mew gently linked both of their hands and looked up at him, “Listen to me, Gulf... you still have a bright future aheads, and being here with me — _I don’t want you to be stuck here while you could see the world outside, nong._ ”

“But, Phi...,” He sighed heavily and gently kissed the older one on the lips before he turned back, _“What if— what if I want to have you in my future? What if I want to see the world with you?”_

He started to cry when he practically never dropped a tear after he cried on his mother’s arms, “What is this, Phi?! Do you never consider something is indeed really happening between us, Phi?! Why the sudden word of — _for God’s sake_ — ‘ _divorce’?”_ He punched the older one’s in the chest, which only makes the older one hugged him even tighter with a lot of _‘Sorry’s._

_“Do you think I’m a joke to you, Phi? What about the promise of our dates, Phi? Don’t— don’t you dare to talk about divorce’s settlement, Phi. For God’s sake— I don’t need your fucking money—,”_ This time, it’s the older one that shut him up with a kiss, tongue at all, that surely distracted the younger one since he calm down instantly between those kisses.

“I’m sorry, okay, I’m sorry.” Mew put him in the crook of his neck afterwards. “It’s just — since there are choices, options, I want to give it to you, I don’t want you to feel burdened or worse, regretted our marriage.”

“Don’t you dare to speak the word _‘divorce’_ again, Phi,” The younger one frowned deeply at him, which makes Mew smiled tiredly at him.

“I’m sorry, okay?” He put his forehead against Gulf’s.

_“Promise, Phi?”_

The older one just linked his little fingers together with the younger one in promise while chuckled lightly. Which makes Gulf started to kissed him deeply again because he annoyed that Mew acting at him as if he was a child.

“Never in our decade of friendship _— my years of working together with you_... that I would thought that I would have to bring such a big bouquet for your spouse’s graduation as a job, Phi,” Tul cracked his head to the right and left as if bringing flowers such a labour for him. “It was never written in my job description.”

“Shut up, Tul, do you want to have my support for your election as a Chiang Mai’s governor or not,” The older one pushed his hair back while wearing his black branded sunglasses on, putting off his black blazer and pushing his sleeves to his elbow length.

Mew Wai Gulf’s mother and father politely before the younger one came to him with scrunched up face, “Why do you being late?”

“You know I have a meeting that I need to attend to early in the morning,” He kissed the younger one’s neck, since he also like to smell Gulf's cologne as well, the one he bought for him not too long ago, “Congratulation once again, my love”

“And why P’Tul is the one who bring the flowers, do you cannot bring it with your own arms or what?”

“Gulf — _please_ , stop being a nagging wife for a second. It’s already tiring enough for me that I need to heard Mew’s nagging voice in the office.” He give the big-ass bouquet of flowers to Gulf. “Congratulation for your graduation, anyway, nong.”

The younger one just give a tight lip smile at Tul, “Thank you, P’Tul. Next time, just let him bring his own stuff or something.”

“Oh, that being said,” Tul pondered, “Initially I need to dropped both of you guys in the airport right after your graduation, Gulf. Phi, is it okay if I went back to the office now and let you go to the airport on your own?” He turned to Mew that was this close to tackled his closest friend because of his blabbermouth.

“What airport?” The younger one frowned at Tul and then and at Mew.

“Don’t listen to him, Gulf, Tul mixed up the schedule as always.” Mew just shrugged it off easily.

_“How_ — you questioned my work ability, aren’t you?” Tul feel offended. “You’re a smart one, Ai’Gulf, I’m sure you could connect the dots.” He winked to Gulf before he walking back to the parking lot’s direction. “I will be waiting at the car, Phi, I need to send things through my email first.”

_“What email_ — he’s running away this time,” Mew rolled his eyes.

“Why the need to go to the airport, Phi?” Gulf frowned at the older one. “What kind of impromptu ticket that you bought this time around?”

“Let’s focusing on your graduation day first, love, here, your graduation gown is crooked to this way.”

_“Phi—,”_

“Let a surprise be a surprise, okay?” Mew kissed his cheeks to distracted him, “Let’s go, your parents already calling for you.” He dragged the younger one to go to the building where the graduation ceremony being held.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally it comes to an end!!!! 😭😭😭 Really, I went out of my comfort zone through this story. First, I've never wrote something with historical based before, let alone a kingdom and royalty story that set out in Thai, therefore the amount of research that I had to put out in order to wrote the recent political issue that was currently happening there, the monarch system in Thai, the ceremonial part.... lol. Also, I initially wanted to write a heavy angst for the ending, similar with the ending of the manhwa. However, after the amount of emotional roller coaster through out writing this story... I decided to write this ending instead... Because I have no heart to write heavy angst for MewGulf 🥺😭
> 
> Also, did anyone notice that Khun Suppapong is actually Saint? I'm intrigued to write a side story of SaintZee from this universe afterwards 🤣🤣 Please comment below if you're interested to read the SaintZee chapter! 😆
> 
> Thank you so much for following through this story until the end!! And thank you for my friends @domiegyu for reading through all of my rough drafts and @orangefluff21 for hearing all of my emotional whirlwind every time I had breakdown during the time where I wrote this fic lmaoooo 🤣😂🤣 
> 
> Then, until here. 💙

**Author's Note:**

> Finally I'm coming back with chaptered fic! Plot wise, probably this is probably not something that anyone would expect, but ever since I see this photoshoot of Gulf's https://www.instagram.com/p/CEjbMnTJahz/ I couldn't help but wanting to create Crown Prince Mew and Prince Gulf with pretty clothes like in Princess Hours. 😫😫
> 
> I hope you enjoying this story as much as I enjoy writing it! Let me know your thoughts in the comment section! ❤️❤️


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